


Diaries of springs

by Zedta



Series: Betwixt... and all that come after [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Even more idyllic and indulgent, F/F, Fluff, Kids, M/M, Plot bits, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-06-23 06:25:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 76,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15600273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zedta/pseuds/Zedta
Summary: A collection of extras for Betwixt The Pages, a ride toward a big fat silly happily ever after.1. First spring: Takumi had his first brush with foul diplomacy, Ryoma and Xander began their reigns.2. What shall one do with summer?: Camilla made a wish and was pleasantly surprised. In other news, people around her had become cuter.3. Season of rememberance: Past, present, future. How many people does it take to raise a child? The day before their wedding, Leo babysat and Takumi thought about work.4. To the season of your sky: Nearly two decades of peace. More kids than this author could handle. A surprise and happy reunion. A long trip for family and friends.





	1. First spring - 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is split into 2 parts due to length. 
> 
> All art descriptions were made up.

_Mount Shirasagi, four seasons in one day, day and night in one breath_

_Home to our ruling Mother and Father_

_Brilliant as a God’s mind, labyrinthine as a God’s heart._

 

So went the folk song about the most revered mountain in Hoshido. Many legends had been weaved about this place, all to point to the fact that even beyond the number of secret compartments that a royal dwelling must have, it contained numerous nooks and crannies of obscured functions. Rumors might be exaggerated, but there’s still base to this claim. One relevant location lay at halfway up the mountain, where a small path forked off from the main road and wound among tall trees and dense bushes to lead to a large gated stone arch. The arch was made of hard grey stone tightly fitted together, the gate was of very good oak, with smooth transparent finish. Despite the marks of quality craftsmanship, the color scheme seemed a little too plain compared to the vibrant choices that Castle Shirasagi enjoyed. As for its purpose, the words carved on the top stone simply said ‘Middle Gate’.

All Hoshidan courtiers were bound to have heard of this gate, yet few knew its exact location. For many years till now, the gate had remained closed, visited only by those who maintained the path and cleared off weeds around it. Today, however, it was wide open. Even more curiously, there were soldiers standing guard on both sides of the path that led to it.

They bowed when a decorated carriage approached; the driver nodded back and kept driving. Once the carriage had passed the gate, however, the passenger inside issued a short order to the driver before jumping off and starting to walk briskly forward, leaving his carriage to proceed behind at a leisure pace.

The path he followed went straight for a while after the gate, then turned right and curved around a large boulder. Here, it opened up into a large clearing, at the center of which lay a single structure – a hexahedral pavilion. Like the gate and its path till now, this space was also empty and nondescript in appearance, but clean and completely free from any sign of disuse. It couldn’t boast any remarkable view, yet there was a clear intention in the placement and design. At a closer look, one would notice that it lacked the utilities of a common pavilion: there was no railing or sitting bench between the columns, the floor was at the same level as the ground instead of slightly elevated, the only details that could be considered decorative were the Hoshidan emblems engraved here and there on the tokyous. Then, if the examiner was one well-versed in magic, they would be even more surprised by the realization that this austere place enjoyed one of the most stable magical fields on the mountain, equal to the one protecting the royal castle itself.

It turned out that a group of people had already arrived at the pavilion before our newcomer. One of them, a girl with light pink hair and soft aura, turned around upon hearing the hasty footsteps. She broke into a smile and walked to greet him.

“Brother! Wo...wow! You look so nice!”

Takumi felt his cheeks and ears heat up. Oboro had spent more than a month fussing over his wardrobe plan for this week. She pulled out things he never knew he possessed, mentioned types of accessory he never knew existed, and made him look at himself in colors he had never come near before. In the spirit of the occasion, it was somewhat fun but totally bewildering. He nodded to almost everything she chose for him, except for one particularly cheery shade of orange that required more bravery than he thought he possessed.

He saw that orange on Sakura’s inner collar today. It suited her prettily, complementing with the hint of coral pink on her cheeks and lips to bring out a soft glow on her face. She had opted for an elegant spring dress with a little fluff in the skirt and no cape. Takumi had never felt such fierce sense of brotherly protectiveness as this moment.

“Ah, I think I get it now,” he heard Hinoka’s voice from behind. “All that work by Oboro on you and I was to make sure that we wouldn’t look too shabby next to Sakura.”

He turned to find Hinoka and Yukimura walking up to them, both were looking him up and down with highly amused expressions. “My eyes are opened,” Hinoka said. “I think flowers actually suit you the best among us, Takumi. Don’t ever let anyone argue otherwise.” She spoke of what was practically a blooming garden in silver that had been couched onto the fabric of his indigo robe ‒ Takumi was keenly conscious that it was being shown off extensively under his open grey vest.

“Wipe that face off,” he stuck his tongue out. “What about you? What are these extra things?” He poked at the silver charms and ornamental boxes of various lengths hanging down from Hinoka’s belt, dangling along the left front flap of her robe to about mid-thigh. There were at less one chime among them, one jade pendant, even an intricate wisteria charm. He had to admit that they looked very nice and in element with Hinoka’s gentlemanly style, especially the miniature gunbai, but flair had never been one of her considerations. “Where did my warrior sister go?” He asked incredulously.

“Is- is this a scent charm?” Sakura had also come over and leaned down to admire Hinoka’s new accessories. She picked up a small sphere with little carvings of flower. When Takumi sniffed it, there was indeed a pleasant musky fragrance coming off.

He looked up to Hinoka with wide eyes. The scent fitted her perfectly, _but it was still a whole new dimension to her wardrobe!_ It’s one thing to have closet sachets that embed scents into clothes and another to practically wear _perfume_.

Hinoka snickered and mock-slapped his cheek. “It was all very embarrassing, so I had to invent a way to get some enjoyment for myself. I made big brother review all the choices and pick out what I would wear. There were at least a hundred things, Ryoma was dying by the end of it. He became reckless.” She picked out a chain with a very small silver box at the end. “Look at this one that our responsible brother picked for me. Do you think this reflects my personality?

The box didn’t look particularly ornate. It was hexahedral and decorated with star polygons, altogether looking like a sensible and innocent choice, right up until Takumi opened the littlest lid he had ever touched in his life.

And found it to be a tiny pot of bright red lipstick.

“This is absolutely appalling!” he bursted out giggling and tried to dip his pinky into the pot. It barely fitted.

“You should have seen the horrified look on Ryoma’s face when I showed him the inside,” Hinoka laughed along. “I’m wearing this purely to honor the memory of that face.”

They continued to chat about clothes and other mundane things that a royal family was bound to do for a coronation, until a moment later, when Yukimura said as he looked above their shoulders. “My ladies, my lord, I think they are about to come through.” This made them turn to look at the pavilion.  A faint glow had begun to shine over the plain stone floor. Bright lines formed in the signs of the zodiac, growing sharper by the second and thrumming with increasing power, until the border of reality started to bend and defy senses.

Indeed, they were waiting for their friends at a portal, where warping tomes could reach with high accuracy and low power. The Middle Gate generally served high ranking Hoshidan courtiers and honoured guests to Castle Shirasagi. In the near future, when Nohr and Hoshido have established a close diplomatic relationship again, the royal Nohrians would be able to arrive through the High Gate that stood within the castle walls.

Within moments, all sounds were wiped out, leaving the clearing in a vacuum. A column of light shot straight upward to the sky, completely quiet and otherworldly. Time seemed to be crawling forward. Takumi tensed up with excitement. He wondered if Sakura realize that she was pushing him forward with a very insistent force - he didn’t have the heart to point that out to her. Besides, as much as he wanted to retain some pride and not rush over, he gave in the moment he saw shadows beginning to appear at the portal. A big grin broke out on his face; he took Sakura’s hand and they simply _ran._

Camilla was the first to emerge and envelop them in a hug. “Oh, you two,” she tightly embraced both brother and sister, leaned back to look at them, then hugged them again. “You are like little spring fairies, so lovely I want to keep.”

Sakura giggled and turned her face up, “I missed you.”

Camilla’s expression melt. “You are going to make me lose my restraint, dear.”

Takumi chuckled along, then he felt someone gently pulling him out of Camilla’s arms. “Hey,” he grinned and leaned back against Leo. The warm breaths on the base of his neck made all thoughts flee his mind for a moment.

“Hmn,” Leo brushed his lips by Takumi’s ear and tightened his embrace. “At least you still feel the same. My eyes were confused by your clothes for a bit there. Not that I’m not delighted by them.”

“You didn't have to say anything,” Takumi elbowed Leo a little. As he spun back and take in his boyfriend, however, he couldn't help but stare for moment.

Something… something had changed….

Then he cried out, “You- Are you shorte- _hnn!!_ ” Leo violently pressed his palm over Takumi’s mouth and gave him a warning look, one that was not so effective when paired with the happy glow still casted over his face. “You know better than to say that,” he whispered with a small hiss. “You were the shorter one, so don’t be smug. How are you still growing? Are you a kid?”

Takumi just grinned from ear to ear at the threat and giggled into Leo’s palm. He couldn’t help reaching out to ruffle his boyfriend’s hair.  They were finally at the same height. Finally!

Snorting out a laugh and shaking his head, Leo pulled Takumi’s arm away from the vicinity of his hair and instead wrapped it around his hip. Takumi obediently let him, pleased when he felt Leo’s arm coming around his back as well. His reached out his other arm to catch Elise as she ran up to him at full speed.

“Takumi! Takumi!” The girl was bouncing with excitement. “Please say you will have time to show us around later!”

 _And why must it be me?_ Takumi thought, amused by the way Elise showed favor for him. “I think I will be able to escape most state functions and go out with you and Sakura,” he said. “There are bound to be some meetings that we should attend though. Right, Leo?”

 

“A few for Sakura and Elise,” Leo answered. “Maybe just a couple more for you, in case you’d rather go out with them. The rest of us will take care of the remaining ones. There aren’t many deep discussions to be had at this stage yet anyway.”

His idea was confirmed by Yukimura. “Indeed, my lord. Only one meeting truly requires all of us to attend,” the man said, referring to the first round of negotiation for the kingdoms’ mutual development agreement. “Other _highly important_ but more flexible ones, well…” He pointedly cleared his throat.

Camilla chuckled. “It’s all right, we adults will take care of those. You take the girls out, Takumi. The additional meetings are just for Ryoma to introduce us to some courtiers and business people that may be amenable to starting a working relationship with the Nohrian court. It will be some time before any real link can be formed, you can jump in later.”

Yukimura slightly bowed. “I hope that these bonds will be formed without too much difficulty. Lord Ryoma and I have handpicked these people for you to meet in the next few days. We have high expectations for them.”

For a beat, Camilla just watched the man, then she broke into a broad grin. “Such open support for us. I knew I would like you,” she said “You have been friendly from the very first letter we exchanged. Even if you trust the judgment of your masters, that’s still remarkable.”

Yukimura was momentarily taken aback by the forthright compliment. Then he smiled brightly, “The pleasure is all mine, Lady Camilla. To be honest, from the moment I learnt that Lord Takumi has been inspired to take up governing work thank to you and your siblings, I have felt the greatest admiration toward all of you.”

Camilla’s laughter made Takumi blush to the root of his hair. Leo’s snickers, on the other hand, got himself pinched hard.

Pair by pair, the royals climbed into the carriages that had lined up on the side of the clearing and set to drive back to the main road. Their ride up the mountain was surrounded by the exciting sounds and sights of spring. Hinoka was made almost breathless by the effort to point out to Camilla everything they could see from the window, from the fields of nemophila and some very early jacaranda down in the valley, the gentle patches of sakura, almonds, plum, and wisteria blossoms that hung like clouds all around and above them, to the large trees she admired and adored, the little wild animals that she had always liked but had never found the chance to come near… Her struggle seemed to entertain Camilla even more than the wonderful scenery outside. By the third time she needed to take a big inhale in preparation the next round of comment, Camilla bursted out giggling.

Hinoka gave her the side eye.

“Ah, I’ve missed you so,” Camilla exclaimed through the snickers,  scooting over until she was draping over Hinoka. “So much passion, all for me,” she cooed.

“That passion withered in your laughter,” Hinoka made a mocking face. “How about you tell me something in return then?” She patted Camilla’s cheek.” How are you doing? How do you feel about the state of things? I have been rather… ahm, curious.”

“What do you mean? Why these sudden questions?” Camilla stared at her with eyes so open Hinoka felt words logged in her throat. She cursed her tendency to blurt out her worries before having found the proper way to say them.

Camilla was suddenly alarmed. “My dear Hinoka, have I forgotten to explain something in my letters to you? Please name it. You should have told me right away when you wrote back-”

“No no, not like that. It’s just…” Hinoka swallowed. “It’s… it might be my silly imagination. Your letters always detail everything that happens in Nohr so well, yet I rarely get to read much about how you feel. Compared to when I had you by my side, it feels as if a lot has been missing…” With their constant declarations of love, she didn’t realize how much she learned Camilla through little gestures until they were apart

Camilla blinked a few times then smiled. “Then you should have told me that my writing was dry.”

“It has never occurred to me that your writing can be anything near ‘dry’.” Nor was it truly so.

“You have been worried.”

“My worry is that you have been holding something back.”

“Darling.” Camilla beamed.

She watched Hinoka for a moment, then started again, “Let me make amend. There’s one thing I did want to write to you about, but then thought it should only be said in person.” She cupped Hinoka’s face in her hands, her tone light but serious. “I have been feeling better recently, much better compared to during the war.”

Hinoka looked at the twinkles in Camilla’s eyes and her tentative smile, feeling her chest tighten. “Yes?” She barely managed.

“Haven’t sustained a bad thought for more than a couple of days at a time this past month.”

Hinoka took in a breath as she saw the proud look on her love’s face. She pulled Camilla into a tight hug and earned herself a chuckle. Smiling contently, Camilla laid her head on Hinoka’s chest and turned her gaze to the beautiful world outside.

“A new life, beginning with a season of celebration,” she whispered.

Among the blooms of spring, the ceremonial flags of Hoshido announced a new reign.

\----------

\----------

“Welcome, my lords, my ladies,” Charlotte greeted them at the reception hall of Shirasagi Castle. She had become Xander’s retainer after the war. The day before, she had arrived in Hoshido with the envoy that carried Nohr’s congratulation gifts to Hoshido’s new king. Sharing the responsibility of escorting this envoy with her was no other than Camilla’s new retainer, a native of Hoshido herself.

Mozu.

It was a big surprise when Mozu chose to take this role, but not as big as the one when Camilla first offered it to her. “It’s tough luck, I know,” Camilla had smiled and said to the stammering and blushing Mozu, “But I want to ask you anyway, one can’t know if they don’t try. Won’t you give it some thought? I love the way you see life, it makes me… ah, want to show you as much of the world as possible.”

(“Did you just steal talent from right under our noses?” Ryoma had said after Mozu accepted, holding a hand over his heart and grinning with twinkling eyes toward Camilla).

Some might have guessed that there was a different, more private motivation for Mozu to be interested in following the Nohrian royals. Nevertheless, the girl appeared to have adapted well to her new life. Her stance and attire were impeccable, while the adorable blush of youth was still visible on her cheeks. “How are you enjoying the palace, Mozu?” Leo smiled and asked her as he and Takumi drew near.

“Oh, it’s like a dream, my lord.” She flushed with excitement. “I never imagined I would be able to stand in a castle one day, let alone a palace.”

“And now you have been to three, even more than I have.” Takumi added in.

Mozu smiled brightly. “There are a lot of preparation going on for the coronation. We hope you will enjoy Krakenburg, my lord.”

“I’m quite certain that his lordship will have a great time in Nohr,” another voice joined in next to them. “I dare say that he shares the refreshing and naive approach to new things with you, Mozu, and with the guide of a loved one will grow to see the whole of Windmire with rose-colored glasses just as you do.”

“Please don’t put it like that, Nyx,” Mozu blushed.

The mage smirked unrepentantly and gave the briefest bow possible to the lords and ladies present. Takumi shook his head and chuckled. “I still can't believe that you agreed to stay and help for a while,” he said. “When we parted, you sounded like you couldn't wait to leave and never associate with any royal again.”

“You had the correct idea, but I figured someone has to look after our precious prince while his retainers are busy elsewhere,” Nyx looked to Leo, a corner of her mouth lifting up, “It simply feels wrong to see you alone.” Felicia had been appointed to be Leo’s second retainer alongside Niles. At the moment, however, the pair was staying in Valla to help with the new court.

As Leo made a conflicted expression at this declaration, Nyx laughed and shrugged. “No worry, I’ll be out of your hair soon enough. I am merely curious about how you royals cope with your ambitions. Did, ah, _Queen_ Corrin say who will be accompanying her?”

“Only Silas you would know.”

“Oh, boring. I had hoped for your other sister, at least.”

“They are even busier than us. Maybe you can visit Valla soon. Both you and them will be happy,” Leo said. “I can have others help me.”

“I'm in no haste.” Nyx replied. “And I won't leave you to the wolves of your court just yet. I do like you, you know.”

Leo opened his mouth, but did not have a comeback, so Takumi patted his back and gave Nyx a grateful smile.

\----------

\----------

Camilla and Hinoka did not sleep that night. They lay among the sheets, enjoying the feels and sounds of each other until soft bells sounded, announcing that it was two in the morning. Gradually, barely perceptible noises began to rise from different directions in the palace - it was time for Ryoma to prepare for the pre-coronation rituals. These would last until an hour before dawn, when his family and a small number of representatives from the court and the shrine would join him to perform the formal part of the coronation.

Not long after the bells, moving lantern lights started to filter into the room through the paper doors. “Come in,” Hinoka called out to the attendants outside, then pulled on her robe and rose from bed. She pulled at a string hanging from the ceiling. A thin bamboo screen rolled down from up above, shielding the sleeping area from the rest of the room. Camilla smiled and scooted forward to lift a corner up and spy outside. She was given a perfect observation spot.

Hinoka washed her face and had a light breakfast. After this, she would go out and see to the duties that the army must perform today – maintaining security and participating in the procession after the coronation. Camilla watched keenly as the attendants helped Hinoka put on all three layers of the ceremonial armor. It was of dark reds and cold whites, decorated in patterns of crashing waves and spreading wings. The emphasis was on the outermost vest – a long regal item in white and silver, with high square collar, a second feathered collar, and a flaring tail with goldwork pines and peonies.

This wasn’t even the most elaborated ceremonial armor of Hoshido, as Hinoka would not be the general of the army until Ryoma appoint her to the post later that day, when he would have assumed the position of king and commander of the kingdom. Even then… Camilla hugged the blanket in her arm even tighter and hummed with appreciation at the sight before her. Hinoka dressed up so beautifully, it was taking her some self-control to not run out there and _touch_ a little. At least the court ladies had the courtesy of only combing Hinoka’s hair just a bit. Camilla would have felt offended if they tried anything excessive. Also thanks to the fact that Hinoka was riding a pegasus, there was no head armor to hide her face either.

Soon they were kissing good morning and goodbye. Camilla took her time to get ready before regrouping with her siblings for a brief tour of the palace. They proceeded from place to place as unobtrusive figures, let their guides tell stories and asked polite questions. It didn't take long for the guides to realize that the royal guests were also fascinated by the busy but orderly flow of work streaming all around them in preparation for the ceremonies, stopping often to watch, ask about the customs, and utter phrases of open admiration. Against expectations, they found themselves slowly relieved of tension around the foreigners. The duty had felt heavy and difficult when the Crown Prince assigned it to them, yet by the end, they even regretted that the tour could only be so short. Already, there were promises of teas and talks with the young bubbly princess.

After the private crowning ceremony, Ryoma would make the first appearance as king to his court and army in the castle, who then join him in the procession from the castle to the town bellow. As the hour approached, the Nohrian royals were taken via a side path to their observation box outside of the castle’s main gate. They chatted quietly among themselves, discussing the people of the other guest box next to them. There were only Fuga (he nodded at them), a few of his people, along with a couple of young members from the Kitsune tribe that the Nohrian siblings did not know. The kitsunes seemed to be here mostly to satisfy their curiosity, listening raptly as Fuga and a Hoshidan attendant pointed out things to them.

The absence of guests from other territories made Leo frown. Somehow, Nohr was making much more effort to support Hoshido than many others. In excuse, this was only a side event in term of diplomacy, and part of it could be excused by the sufferings that the smaller lands had had to endure in the tumultuous past year. Corrin's absence this morning was much the same. Still, Leo would have to pay close attention to how people welcome Ryoma's reign and his association with Nohr in the coming days. He was certain that Kaden was already in the capital, getting ready to join their trade talks, but it was unlikely that the Kitsune chief would appear in public, even in the feast that evening.

Right on schedule, they begun to hear long deep bell sounds from within the castle walls, then after half an hour, thunderous cheers of hundreds of people. Among military chants, the main gate opened.

Not long after, everyone in the box was surprised when Oboro appeared, looking formal but without any hint that she would be marching. She waved the attendants away, sat down on an empty chair and poured tea for herself. “So, is there any cultural question I can answer for you, my lord and ladies?”

“Oboro?! Why aren't you in the march?” Camilla exclaimed.

“I... asked to be your guide for this part,” Oboro said stiffly.

“But you are one of the main organizers! This is once in a lifetime!”

“There are more than a hundred main organizers,” Oboro waved her hand nonchalantly, but her face was reddening, “I have worked so much on my part that I’m sick of it by now. I can’t stand to be a part of this anymore.”

Leo stared, brain reeling at her show of awkward dismissal. He saw her fingers shaking lightly. “Are you having cold feet?” He whispered.

“Don't mention it!” She hissed. “Just… just let me watch for now They have allowed me to rejoin the match after it have passed you. This first part is too… too grand and formal. I am too invested. Too obsessed. I wouldn't be able to hold myself together-” She was grinding her teeth so much it hurt to look. Elise threw her arms around her for an emergency hug. “Oboro, can you tell me about- uhm- the flags! What are all the flags the soldiers are holding?” she spoke quickly. “How are they made?”

Leo gave Elise a thumb up as Oboro remembered to inhale deeply again. She began her explanation and, gradually, gained enough momentum to become completely engrossed in playing teacher.

A long time after bells and drums announced his arrival, Ryoma appeared with Hinoka's group flanking his sides. The king's carriage was pulled by six white bulls adorned with gold and copper bells. Large white robes served as traps and ecru rugs with the Hoshidan emblem waved in gold laid on their backs. Their horns were covered with engraved silver and their faces painted with white swirls. The carriage itself seemed to be made of black lacquered wood and dark alloys damascened with maple leaf motifs. There were sixteen posts in total, eight at the corners of the octahedral carriage floor and eight a little inward. The black tiled roof of the carriage glistened cobalt under the sun, each of its curving corners carried the shape of two herons rising through wisps of cloud. Hanging along the posts were thin curtains in various shades of light green and yellow. With such an arrangement, although the carriage was open on all sides, one had the feeling of looking into a building upon gazing at it.

Ryoma sat on a raised dais in the middle His hair had been combed back and tied, the halo of the sun crown framed around his face, casting an ethereal glow. His outfit was meticulous and elegant. To the novice eyes, it stood out firstly with seven layers of cross-collared robe, showing in a gradient of color descending from his neck to his chest – one glimpse of blue, two shades of white, two of gold, and two of brilliant red. The large sleeves were long and dramatic, draping over his folded legs and onto the carriage floor, their lengths carefully designed to show a hint of the gradient once more at the cuff.

The outermost layer was of fiery vermillion, with all patterns embroidered in a slightly deeper tone and the subtlest trace of gold. Its broad train fanned out in a circle on the floor. Such a color would have been overwhelming on most people, but Ryoma’s powerful presence tempered it all. One couldn’t help being drawn to the dignified features of his face, to those sparkling dark eyes and the faint smile on his lips. With the dawn sky breaking behind him, his aura was that of the rising sun itself.

“Wow,” a voice softly spoke from behind, just above their head.

They all startled. Elise turned and cried out in delight. “Brother!” She quickly stood up. “Sit with me! Sit with me!”

Xander patted her head and took the seat so that she could sit on his laps. Leo leaned over to whisper to him, “You arrived early. Are things well?”

Xander smiled wryly, “I think I’ve scared our courtiers just enough to get two days of peace.” He turned to Oboro. “It’s wonderful to see you, Oboro. How are you?”

Oboro was looking at him with wide eyes, still unable to understand how he could quietly slip into the box without her notice. Blinking rapidly, she uttered a broken greeting and quickly stood up to serve tea before returning to the previous task, churning out term after term of color and fabric so new and diverse that the Nohrian siblings were starting to doubt if the kingdoms really shared one language. _There’s_ hanada and _there’s_ aoni and _this this that_ was every shade from peach to plum, carrying different meanings in different motifs.

As Xander raised his eyebrows at her agitation and Oboro sent over a desperate glance, Leo leaned in to explain to his brother. Then, making sure that Oboro was still blocking his voice out of her mind, he whispered to Xander: “Is it bad that so few territories are present this morning? I mean, even you are making an effort to be here, yet we have pretty much no other guest than Fuga.”

Xander glanced to the next box, then at Camilla. The corner of her mouth curved up in acknowledgement, but she didn’t turn to them. That was enough to express her opinion. “You are right to find it strange, considering how many more people we will be seeing tonight and in the coming days,” Xander said. “It is not ideal, but Ryoma and I have expected this after seeing how they welcome Corrin’s reign.”

“They are so wary,” Leo remarked. Nohr and Hoshido had turned out to be the only kingdoms that attended Corrin’s coronation. All other leaders sent congratulations and excuses that ranged from sincere to merely lukewarm. Their allies in the war belonged to the first group, and Leo didn't mind when the letters appeared reserved, he knew all leaders were constrained by the wills of their followers. He was a little angered and discouraged by the distant attitude of the rest, however.

Xander patted his back. “Wariness may be a better sign than dismissal. It would mean that if we continue to present opportunities instead of threats, they will want to join and get a piece of the cake. Just keep up, they have spies to see us. That some of us arrived as early as yesterday and all of us are here this morning is a clear statement. If they are smart and we are lucky, many will make their moves before tomorrow.”

Leo harrumphed at this. Later, as Oboro prepared to leave them, he asked her to visit them later that afternoon and teach them everything about the dinner party.

\----------

\----------

Takumi let Oboro dress him exactly as she wanted for the evening feast. When he arrived at the large hall, he found himself thanking her profusely for her foresight. Looking at his Nohrian friends, he was mildly dazed by the incredible difference that a set of attire could bring upon. Far from the bold silhouettes and decorations that Oboro had described about the typical Nohrian court fashion of the past decade, everything his friends wore today expressed an appreciation toward the natural form of the human body and the art of lighting. Camilla and Elise’s gowns stood out with nacré black velvet that tinted toward purple - Camilla’s was form fitting and imposing, Elise’s loosely layered with frills of lighter colors for an air of openness and gentle confidence. On his part, Leo’s clothes were stiff in form but leaned toward shades of dark grey that looked incredibly soft. He wore no obvious adornment except for the headband that Takumi had gifted him the night before, and overall was making Takumi’s heart do all sort of funny horse tricks in its narrow cage.

What surprised Takumi the most was probably Xander’s attire. In theme with the rest of his family, there was no heavy cloak, no intricate shoulder and cuff decorations such as common among Nohrian knights, only very subtly embossed velvet of true black - the richest and lushest black Takumi had ever seen. He was used to the dull and menacing blacks of the Nohrian armors, not these luxurious and regal shades on show tonight. For an instant, he thought that he had seen the color wrong all his life. The only highlight for Xander was the high collar embroidered with gold thread and beetle wings; the flickering green iridescence brought out the deep red of his irises. The style seemed almost too simple for someone of his status, but the articles were so refined and well fitted that no one could doubt they were looking at the next king of Nohr. More than anything else, they emphasized his large frame and domineering presence. The subtle curves of muscle and the sense of power channeled through every single movement made sure that once someone laid eyes on him, they couldn’t help being conscious of his power, nor could they find the courage to stare a second more.

Takumi suspected that the overall choice to go against old fashion norms tonight was a statement about Nohr’s goal to change, and if anything, his Nohrian friends had no need to intimidate outsiders at the moment. As with any reformation attempt, those who stood to lose were always more desperate, and Nohr had been walking on the fine line between rebirth and unrest right from the moment Xander returned. News coming out from the kingdom these days were often hair-raising.  Even as a mere spectator cheering for the reform side, Takumi had experienced both thrill and distress too many times now, he could only imagine how extremely cautious many others must be feeling toward Nohr.

Meanwhile, as they arrived at their low tables, the Nohrian royals stepped out of their evening slippers and settled on their respective seating mats with practiced ease. Takumi saw some of the guards and servants behind them gape. Compared to some other guests who were relying on the maids to remove their clunky boots, the Nohrians had clearly come prepared. Every action they took was giving them more advantage.

Corrin finally appeared not long after. She smiled brightly and waved at them with enthusiasm. Nothing could hide the marks of exhaustion on her face, however. There were dark circles under puffy eyes and tension in her expression; Camilla and Elise looked like they wanted to leap out of their places to run over to Corrin’s side.

For now, though, it must remain a wish. Corrin and Xander’s seats were on a separate dais just below Ryoma’s and higher than the rest of the hall, making a perfect triangle with the king’s seat. A little further down from them, on the right sat Hinoka, Camilla, Takumi, and Leo. Sakura and Elise sat in a row behind their elder siblings. Across from them, the Duke of Nestra sat with Fuga and Rinkah’s father on the front row; Lady Varenil was seated on the second row, together with the new Archduke of Izumo.

Takumi’s neck prickled when he saw the Nestrian pair. Unpleasant memories rose in his mind. He remembered Xander’s description of the Duke, but the man across the hall unnerved him even more than he had imagined. The Duke of Nestra wasn’t actually thin but gave the impression of being extremely so, especially with his long back, long neck and nose, his wide shoulder and stringy peppered hair. It’s supposed to be too far for him to tell, yet Takumi still felt as if he could see blue veins running on bonny hands and across temples. His gaze was met by deeply crinkled eyes, and the Duke greeted him with a smooth nod, so deliberate that Takumi almost avert his eyes.

The Patrician seemed to project a different aura altogether. Her skin and hair were all so pale that Takumi couldn’t be sure of their color, her lips were thin and her jaw very soft. Her eyes were big and round, partially hidden behind a pair of spectacles heavily adorned with rose gold and sapphire. When she saw Takumi watching, her mouth stretched into an easy maternal smile, even though she couldn’t be much older than Yukimura. The action roused his defense instinct so much he felt his blood boil.

Realizing that his expression was showing his opinion and the Patrician’s face was falling, Takumi quickly turned to Leo and opened his mouth as if ready to engage in a conversation. His brain didn't offer any word, however, and for a moment of eternity he was merely gaping.

It only took Leo a glance to understand his plight. “Do they make you feel uncomfortable?” Leo said while casually leaning closer and calling up a small smile.

“They… they seem to be full of motives. I don’t know….” Takumi managed, hoping that he looked appropriate for small talk.  “I should have asked you about the plan to deal with them.”

“Don’t worry,” Leo patted his hand. The open display of comfort jolted Takumi a little. “I’ve asked Xander and Camilla about this. It seems that the plan right now is to appear as if we don’t need them but speak as if we very much do. To be honest, I didn’t want to discuss that with you or Hinoka so that you two wouldn’t feel pressured into any kind of manner play. Just be yourself. Your confident and prudent self. Camilla and I will interfere if you need us.”

“...Is that why you asked for Oboro’s help earlier?”

“Yes, I wanted to make sure that our families would look proper for the purpose.”

Takumi glanced at Leo’s hand, so close and tempting for grasp, then at Camilla and Hinoka, who were laughing easily with each other. “So we intrigue them with our closeness.”

“Just like how they have been trying to intrigue us with their indifference.”

“Isn’t that reckless? I mean, Hinoka wouldn’t slip, but what if I make a mistake?”

When both sides are poking around for each other’s tender spots, surprises or small mistakes can even help us. Just distract your mind and relax for now,” Leo said. “Enjoy the feast thoroughly, for Ryoma’s sake. I plan to.” Tapping Takumi’s arm, he pointed at the decorative piece on his table – a pedestal plate arranged with little bunches of tobira flowers. At the middle of the plate lay a small, round fruit with smooth golden skin. He brushed his fingers over it with curiosity. “Is this just for show? Looks like a yellow tomato,” He said. There was no food or drink around to be seen.

After a moment of surprise, Takumi quickly pushed heavy thoughts aside and switched to host mode. “It is called ‘gold apple’. There’s nothing to the flesh but it has a beautiful scent,” he said. “The fruits normally come in autumn, but we have found a way to get them off-season. So, uhm, that rarity and the symbolization of inner beauty make them a common feature in royal feasts around this time of the year.

Leo took the fruit in both hands and held it under his nose. “All that for a non-essential product? Innocent and truthful as it is, if you say that in Nohr, people would think you that you are bragging,” he said without heat, then “This is the sweetest thing I have ever smelled.”

Takumi, on his part, was busy appreciating the sight of Leo sitting there, looking carefree with the fruit in his palms and simply enjoying the moment. He offered the one on display on his table, “Put both in your pocket, the scent will seep in.”

“No, you put them in yours. I will like that better.” Leo said and held Takumi’s palm open to drop the fruits on it, showing no qualm in appearing familiar with him in front of everyone else.

Takumi was still trying to adjust to this level of liberty when a long and deep kane sound reverberated throughout the hall, effectively stopped all conversations. Ryoma walked in, every inch a warrior king in his brisk steps. Takumi knew it would take a long time for him to stop feeling all warm and proud at the mere sight of his brother appearing like this.  He also wanted to smile a little. Ryoma had clearly rejected the idea of going in slowly and stately to increase gravitas - a thing that court norms loved to emphasize.

Ryoma sat down at his table and briefly nodded to Corrin and Xander, who returned the greeting. “My most honourable guests, Queen Corrin and Crown Prince Xander,” he began, booming voice carried easily across the great hall, “Leaders from over the land, my family, my loyal Hoshidans. A bright day has been blessed upon us. I am now King of Hoshido, till the end of my days I will love and serve her with all I have. I thank the heaven for having tried me and deemed me worthy of this sacred duty. Thank all of you for always observing and counselling me, for supporting my visions and correcting my wrongs.”

“In the past months I have had the opportunity to discuss with you about the pains, needs, and dreams of our communities. It is agreed that we all share an earnest wish for a future of harmony. Many challenges lay upon our path, for this is a departure from the directions that some of our predecessors have pursued. Nevertheless, I hold in my heart the conviction that we are ready for changes; I will work tirelessly toward this future just as I will work to keep the vows I have made to my people today. In this spirit, the feast tonight is my meager attempt to show my gratefulness. I am grateful for the hard work that you will have to do, as well as the grace with which you will deal with my whims and stubbornness.” Among rumbles of laughter, he raised his cup. “For my sake, don’t hold back tonight. Let the celebration begin.”

“Long live the king!” Hinoka cried.

“Long live the king!” Hundreds of voices joined as one.

They threw back their drinks. As the attendants began to fill up the cups again, Ryoma spoke loudly, “My attendants have informed me that the Kingdom of Nohr has presented Hoshido with a most wonderful gift on this occasion. Come, let us all admire it.”

Not long later, four people arrived, carrying on their shoulders a large item covered with a red cloth. Takumi raised his eyebrows at the dramatic arrangement. The moment the cloth was removed, however, even he momentarily forgot manner and rose a little to gain a closer look.

Oohs and aahs clamored among the front tables.

Ryoma smiled brightly and stood up. He slowly walked around the gift, examining it with an obvious expression of interest and appreciation. What Nohr had presented to the new Hoshidan king was a silver sculpture of a peacock taking flight, nearly life-size and marvelously crafted. The base was elegantly modeled after the Hoshidan cloud motif; the bird was majestic, its wings spread out in full arch and its long tail swept with such grace that one could imagine a true breeze passing through. The feathers were so fine they looked as if woven out of shimmering silk threads. Where other tributes of this kind often came with extravagant gem stones and rare precious metals, this bird was uniformly silver, giving it a pure and transcendent aura. Under the dazzling light of the hall, the white peacock held the mirage of a phoenix rising.

Ryoma brushed his fingers over the wings. “This is a great achievement of the arts,” he said, clearly pleased. He looked to Xander. “Compassion, vigilance, power, protection. Nohr has given me very generous compliments. I am humbled, Crown Prince Xander.”

Xander nodded lightly. “We look to Hoshido with great admiration. May your reign be long and peaceful, King Ryoma.”

Ryoma turned to the attendant nearby. “Have it carried down the hall so that my courtiers can see it up-close,” he said before returning to the highest seat.   

“Talking about effective showing off, huh?” Takumi said lightly.

Leo smirked, “Right time, right place,” he whispered back.  Due to the poor state of Nohr, their gifts to Hoshido this time were inferior compared to what Ryoma’s predecessors had received, in number as well as in sheer value. Disparaging gossips would be unavoidable, but at less some measure of control could be employed, and thus they decided to rely on an outstanding centerpiece. Ryoma’s obvious bias for it would help shut down most of the unfavorable comments, and then hopefully their other Hoshidan friends would defend them as well.

Up on the dais, Ryoma and Xander seemed to be exchanging more compliments - not so much through words and gestures, which appeared to be properly modest, but through obviously praising looks sent to each other. If given the power of hindsight, people would even say that affection was being shamelessly expressed. That, in Camilla's later choice of words, everyone ‘could stick their tongues out and find the air tasting of fondness, blind pride, and the will to forget about the existence of four hundred other people.’

“I think even if I poke their eyes out right now they’d still be looking at each other,” Leo muttered. Takumi almost choked into his cup.  

At Ryoma’s behest, performers began to come in from side doors to the wide space between the royal seating area and the rest of the court. As this became an active stage for dancing and music, it also served as a kind of screen that separated the royal Hoshidan and their foreign guests from all others.

Takumi had no doubt that even as the courtiers enjoyed these performances and merry drinking with their fellow Hoshidans, their full attention was still on the upper area of the hall. There hadn’t been a gathering such as this in decades. Every single expression and movement was being watched and analyzed, especially those made by Ryoma, Xander, and Corrin. At the moment, the three of them seemed to be enjoying a friendly, nearly familial atmosphere. As much as this was true of their relationship, Takumi knew that they were also demonstrating their closeness to everyone else in the hall. After much discussion of different scenarios and Xander’s subsequent assessment of the social climate in Nohr, they have decided on a story about the war in Valla that was almost entirely truthful with regard to people who had passed and mostly kind to people still living. This banquet was the first chance for them to reaffirm that story together.

Per customs, Hinoka and Takumi went up to the dais to congratulate their brother first, followed by Camilla and Leo. After them, the leaders on the left side of the hall began to take their turns.

Takumi watched the parade, feeling his feet itch. Soon, it would be time for them to greet the guests. Next to him, Camilla cleared her throat then spoke up: “Let’s get this over with so that we can enjoy ourselves. Who among us shall be our champion tonight?”

They all looked to her with expectant eyes.

She chuckled. “You are all so shy. Well, thank you for placing your faith in me. Will I be having a Hoshidan companion?”

“I… would like to volunteer, if you don't mind guiding me,” Takumi said. It couldn't be Hinoka anyway, her rank was too high now. Between Camilla and her, people would feel threatened.

While Hinoka gave him a surprised look, Camilla smiled at him with a sunny expression. “So proactive! You light up my heart, dear.”

Leo tugged at Takumi's sleeve and whispered to him. “You are anxious to act. That's all right, just remember that you can choose not to do this.”

“I know that tone of yours. Don’t try to go soft on me,” Takumi frowned at him.

“You think I can help it?” Leo muttered quickly. “Listen to me for now. I'm not persuading you to avoid doing this, I'm reminding you of things you are prone to forget. Gods, don't think that this will prove courage or anything like that. You don’t have to view diplomacy as a deadly game with rigid rules and goals, you are not playing to win. If it becomes too much of a farce and you feel like vomiting on the spot, just drop it and walk away.”

Takumi kept frowning.

“I’m speaking from experience,” Leo added.

That made Takumi freeze. Eyes widening, he swallowed. “I will keep your words in mind.”

Eventually, the flow of congratulators to the high seats ceased. As a member of the hosting court, Takumi made the first move. Taking a deep breath, he duly made eye contact with the Duke of Nestra and rose from his seat. He hoped that the little shake in his legs were unnoticeable as hundreds of pairs of eyes around the hall followed him with guarded curiosity.

“You are doing well, starshine,” Camilla whispered as she rose behind him. He could hear the smile in her voice. It reminded him to try for a smile as well. His face probably looked strained, but he decided to stop thinking about that. As they crossed the hall, the colorful dancers and the melodious music barely registered in Takumi’s mind. Instead, what he felt keenly was Ryoma’s gaze on him, which somehow helped him feel calmer. Xander and Corrin were probably observing as well, but the three of them continued to converse in a low voice without breaking.

He arrived in front of the Duke’s table uneventfully.

All five people on this side of the hall had risen up to meet them. Takumi raised his wine cup. “Honorable guests, in my brother’s place, I thank you again. Your presence here today is very important to us,” he said. This led to a round of formal replies and drinking. They sat down afterward - Takumi right in front of the Duke, while Camilla was close to his left, not quite facing Fuga.

Yet the first people Takumi addressed were the chiefs of the Wind Tribe and the Fire Tribe. “I am glad that you can be here today. Your assistance was invaluable during the war,” he said.

“Please consider it our duty to fulfill,” Rinkah’s father nodded to him. “Chief Fuga and I have been talking about how fortunate it was that we could provide you with help. Your victory was critical for all of us.”

“Peace does require much work and protection,” Fuga said. “The Archduke and I both agree that it is too bad that no one from Notre Sagesse and Mokushu could join us today.” He half-turned, indicating his wish to include the Archduke of Izumo in the conversation.

“I know that the past few months have not been easy for Izumo,” Takumi nodded to the Archduke. “We are glad for the chance to host you in this happy occasion.”

“Our tie with Hoshido has always been strong, it is only appropriate that we are here today,” the man replied.

The Rainbow Sage’s sudden decease had taken away Notre Sagesse’s divine protection and sow the seed for a spiritual crisis – something that the country had never had to consider. Mokushu, on the other hand, was facing the consequence of its bloodshed against Kouga. The absence of both countries today spoke of their view toward outside forces at the moment - they were not seeking help and were wary of interference from other countries. This choice sharply contrasted Izumo’s, who continued to show an inclination for outreach.

And then, of course, there was the puzzle that was Nestra. From the daring bet against both Hoshido and Nohr that the Duke and the Patrician had played, to the temporary retreat they showed when confronted by Xander and Ryoma, and then their presence here today, the pair had shown much boldness. It was clear that unlike other territories on the continent, they fully intended to be assertive in international relations. Not only did they recognize the importance of early entrance to the new world order, they knew how much other players desired their support in it.

Camilla took upon herself the harder task of the conversation. Turning to the Nestrian pair, she smiled. “The ties among countries are the greatest strength we can have in the age of change. It is an auspicious day that I can finally meet you and Lady Varenil, Lord. It has been too long since I last seen either of you. We are grateful for your timely and eager correspondences earlier this year.”

“You give us high praises, Princess Camilla.” The Duke answered in a cool sinuous voice. “It would be unforgivable of us to be absent on such an occasion as this.”

“It is Nestra who must thank both kingdoms. You have extended patience toward us when you yourself had heavy burdens on your shoulders,” the Patrician said. “There was so much tension, so much threat to the life of all, yet you never let deceit or impulse cloud your judgment. It is heartening to see that old fractures are now mended and stronger bonds formed. The kingdoms have always led our continents; blessed is the time when two move as one.”

 _You are just sorry that Nestra still don’t get to lead the way you want,_ Takumi thought. He also wondered about the lady’s deliberately omission of Valla. “We have learnt valuable lessons from the composure and perseverance of Nestra as well,” he said. “It was truly a tragedy, what happened to Cyrkensia.” He thought he should throw in a dozen more adjectives about beauty and admiration to sound properly posh, but his untrained tongue couldn’t produce any.

There was no need to worry, however. The Patrician seemed eager to take the stage as soon as Cyrkensia was mentioned. “Oh my, what horrible time it was.” Her eyes widened. Everyone was hurt, then that suddenly, horrendous rift among our citizens... We have never known such division in opinions before. I felt so helpless and anguished, inexperienced in all governing work as I was. Thankfully, we had Nohr and Hoshido’s examples to look up to.”

“You flatter us, Lady Varenil” Camilla answered. “Nestra has resolved the difference within so beautifully, Nohr can only hope that our reformation will success with equal grace.”

But the Patrician clearly had in mind a different direction for the conversation. “I was simply lucky,” she shook her head. “I was fortunate enough to receive shelter and advice at Castle Shirasagi itself during that stormy time. I’m indebted to your gracious hospitality, Prince Takumi. And then… imagine my surprise when I later learnt that Marx has become an advisor to King Ryoma! What extraordinary news! We enjoy a very respectable rivalry, you see. It has always been one of my greatest regret that I am not friend with him.” She tilted her head and swept her gaze through the rows of Hoshidan courtiers, as if searching for a Nohrian face. “He is a passionate believer of interdependence and so persuasive a pacifist. As much as our opinions differ, I have always thought that someone of his caliber is destined to attempt great conquests, certainly something spectacular, considering that he is Nohrian. Well, I guess that his position now must be seen as one. While I was still fumbling among speculations and worries, he has made astounding choices that contribute to world peace. One must bow before such spirit and intelligence. If I could ask for a little of his counsel, I’m certain my mind would be illuminated.”

The Duke, in turn, made a show of looking at Takumi with apologetic eyes and sighing loudly. “It is still I who was most foolish. Had I known that such an outstanding man was aiding the peace process between Nohr and Hoshido, I would have spared no effort in helping you. Instead, I sent such absurd words to your king brother and Prince Xander. Thank the gods it’s all in the past now.”

 _The audacity of these two!_ The lies left Takumi gaping. He ground his teeth to keep his expression still. _They are merely a step away from accusing us of withholding information and banding together to play them!_ Under these pitiful words was the hint that Marx was part of a ploy between Nohr and Hoshido to deceive Nestra, a betrayal game similar to what Nestra herself had tried to play on the Fourth Company.

Only twisted minds could think up such twisted conspiracy theories.

At the same time, Takumi understood that the pair were providing a bleached version of their dirty schemes back in the war. They knew that this was the first time this could be mentioned in front of other leaders, so they raced to present their side of the story first, making it an open secret to take off its edges and, at the same time, insinuating to other territories that Nestra had a special tie with Nohr and Hoshido. _They are certain that as long as they put Nohr and Hoshido in a good light, we would not dare to protest_ , he thought.   _They probably even think that we own them a favor for this_.

He saw the Lady’s eyes light up when she noticed the surprised look on the faces of other guests around them. She had been betting on Nohr and Hoshido's discretion regarding the Cheve - Cyrkensia ordeal.

But they had met a formidable component. Camilla spoke up, her voice sweeter than ever. “Ah, we hold great regret as well, I’m sure you can tell.” She signaled an attendant to give her the wine flask and began to pour for all four of them. “How we wished we had learnt our lesson from Marx before he felt the need to leave Nohr behind with its own mess. He was so brilliant and passionate, we took his love for Nohr for granted.” Easily, she offered a different account about Marx. “At first we felt confused and hurt by his choice to go. We even threatened violence against him. Yet he answered us with compassion and risked his life to show us enlightenment. He taught us that one must go out in order to look in, that despite the most awry situations around us, there are still moral truths. The dignity of truth is never to be constrained by loyalty, Lord and Lady. It’s a shame that it took us so much pain to see that.”

She flicked her eyes up sharply and held the Duke’s gaze, a warning against further use of distortion in his words. The Duke looked back with absolute stoicity, not one wrinkle twitched. However, Takumi caught Lady Varenil throwing a stunned glance toward Corrin. _So their spies knew of the faceoff between our armies at the beginning,_ he thought, feeling a vicious stab of pleasure at the thought that the Lady was confused and wrongly suspecting Corrin of being Marx. _Well, wreck your brain to guess! You’d never know that Marx is all of us_ _and a couple of berry shrubs. You’d never be able to understand anything about THIS family._ His heart vibrated with righteous anger.

“It this case, we must look up to you, Lord,” Camilla continued. “You saw the wisdom in learning from other cultures long before us. If one wants to understand a people, one needs to live their joys and pains first.” She tipped her head toward Lady Varenil. Takumi wanted to jump up and applaud her.

But the Duke was unfazed.  “It is all inevitable, Princess Camilla.” He made a sad expression. “For long now I have felt my mind turning obstinate. I have tried to fight, but seems to be as forceful as time itself. To be able to have Varenil as my protégé is already my last stroke of luck,” he said, as if having amnesia about his denunciation of her in the past. “I’m incompetent in guiding her and hold no useful connection for her growth. Younger generations like Varenil’s represent the future of Nestra, and just like how this old man needs her to discover new paths, she needs to live among other youngsters to find inspirations, even as young as you and Prince Takumi here.” He raised the cup in his hand. “Others may still doubt, but I am overjoyed that the kingdoms all have young leaders.  It is time to turn a new leaf in history.”

 _Like hell you are overjoyed. You are the wariest people here._ Takumi accused as he threw back his wine. He was reminded of a previous remark from Ryoma: the neutral territories were particularly careful about Valla because they had no way to gain information about her, not even to send spies.

Around them, other guests had fallen quiet, exchanging wine cups and diplomatic smiles but making no effort to build a genuine conversation - they were afraid of missing a crucial word or gesture.

“Princess Camilla, Prince Takumi,” the Patrician prompted, “It would be our honour if Nestra can assist in strengthening the relationship between nations in any way we can. It will be a few years before Cyrkensia can return to her former beauty, but should Hoshido and Nohr find the need to formalize this new phase of your relationship, we hope you would consider coming to our home. The peace agreement, for example, now that Cheve may not be entirely appropriate...”

Her bright eyes stopped on Takumi. Swallowing dryly and trying to calm his desire for revenge, he answered. “You… ah, you are most gracious. After Prince Xander’s coronation, we plan to hold the signing of the Peace Accord in Valla. We would be glad if other leaders decide to attend and witness.” If Nestra thought she could court the kingdoms into bringing money and attention to her so easily, she was sorely mistaken.

As the lady stared with slightly wider eyes at this blunt rejection, an explanation shot through Takumi’s mind. “When my brother and Crown Prince Xander attended Queen Corrin’s coronation,” he took a deep breath, trying not to trip over the words, “We- we signed the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the peace process. We also decided then that it would be most appropriate to return to Valla for the Accord. After all, the Kingdom of Valla was instrumental in uniting us.” It wasn’t technically true. Xander and Ryoma had signed the memorandum before Corrin was even crowned, bypassing cumbersome formalities and using courier magic to make true their promise for ‘immediate peace’. Thankfully, this had caused the information on where and when the signing took place to be lost in the muddy stream of intelligence trading. Now, Takumi had the chance to use it and make Nestra think harder about how other bonds are forming around her.

“Very right,” the Lady quickly replied. “Very right decision indeed.” A little too quickly. Her eyes had widened even more; Takumi wondered if it was an effort to stop herself from squinting at him.

“It is also my wish to return to Valla, Prince Takumi,” Fuga suddenly spoke up. “I will do my best to be at the signing.”

The Duke clenched his jaw.

It took all of Takumi’s will not to grin madly at the chief of the Wind Tribe. He had obviously picked up the game, using obscure words to make the Nestrian mistaken that he was at Corrin’s coronation.

“It is unfortunate that we have not had the chance to present ourselves to Queen Corrin.” The Duke said slowly. “We, too, will look forward to the chance to visit Valla… if Her Highness will have us.”

With the round completed, it came back to Camilla to conclude. “Queen Corrin will work tirelessly to make the event as accessible to you as possible. I can vow for her dedication to peace, as a fellow lover of peace and a dear sister,” she said and slightly gripped her dress with the free hand.

“All of us would be delighted to visit Nestra again in the near future,” Takumi said, secretly letting out a relieved sigh at the cue. “For tonight, I hope you will find this humble feast enjoyable.” He bowed to the guests and rose. When he offered his hand to Camilla, she took it with a brilliant smile on her face.

“My dear wonderful little Takumi-” she began as soon as they were three steps away from the battlefield.

“No no no please,” Takumi mumbled madly in the desperate hope to stop her compliment. Already, he could feel blood returning to his head too eagerly and his shaking legs threatening to plant his face on the floor. He made the mistake of glancing up at Ryoma and saw the trio on the dais looking at him with twinkling eyes. He almost ran the rest of the way out of embarrassment.

There was no escape, however. “I’m swelling with so much second-hand pride I think I can float away.” Leo stage-whispered to him as he kneeled down at his seat.

“You couldn’t hear a thing.” Takumi grunted.

“But their faces!”

“Oh shut it!” Takumi shot him the most dignified warning gaze possible. He could tell that the corners of Leo’s mouth were straining tightly against the urge to split into a grin.

As soon as they saw the main guests finishing up the diplomatic part, the attendants had started bringing up the dishes, so Takumi immediately picked up his chopsticks and refused to look at Leo, poising to immerse himself in food and avoid any discussion.

He couldn’t avoid overhearing them, though. “He was so adorable,” Camilla’s ‘whispers’ to Hinoka somehow still floated over. “Emphasizing Corrin! Cornering those two! Telling them the three kingdoms come as a package!”

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Leo gripping at the table edge to stop himself from laughing out loud. He turned around with the intention to give his boyfriend a serious pinching, etiquette be damned, except that he then saw how Leo’s cheeks were puffing up, brinking dangerously on the verge of choking.

Takumi quickly patted his back for him. “I don’t know if I should say ‘served you right’ or not.” Leo was probably eating to distract himself from funny thoughts and got back-fired.

“Woarth eith,” Leo said around the mouthful, trying his best to stop tears from streaming out.

On his other side, Camilla picked up a piece of roasted duck with her chopsticks and put it into Takumi’s bowl. “The first princess of Hoshido sends her compliments, darling.”

“Hey-”

“Eat more and grow faster, baby brother!” Hinoka leaned back and talk to him behind Camilla’s back. “You are Hoshido’s brightest star now!”

“Oy, I’m not a source of entertainment!”

“Never, but I’m terribly entertained all the same.” His sister winked.

“I did one thing and this is how you all treat me,” Takumi made of show of twisting around to Sakura and Elise and pursed his lips sullenly. They shook with suppressed giggles at his expression.

When he turned back, he risked a glance toward the Nestrian pair. They were talking to other leaders; neither turned or glance back at him even when he started to stare. He wondered if it was purposeful. “Would they think that we are openly mocking them?” He asked Leo, waving his hand a little, trying to indicate the show of intimacy between the royals on this side of the hall. “Are we, eh, showing off?”

“We can show off. It’s no less than they should expect and it’s how the truth is anyway. That’s why aren’t watching us anymore.” Leo poked at him. “Even more than them, other people need to see that we are not afraid of associating with each other. Don’t worry. When Camilla is here with us, all we need to do is to follow her.” He chuckled a little when Takumi’s expression instantly switched to one of awe. “She is the best,” he said Takumi’s thought for him.

“The absolute best.” Takumi repeated. “She heaped false praises on them so that I could be crude.”

 

“Lucky for them, if it was the other way around it’d have been brutal,” Leo hummed. “So, how was your first taste with this kind of diplomacy? Any personal impression?”

“I’m throughoutly corrupted,” Takumi answered. “I’m feeling victorious over lying detestably in a pretentious conversation, and have thus been reduced to a lowly character obsessed with vicious petty jabs.” He increased the level of drama in his voice as Leo started to laugh quietly again. “Seriously, you are all so much better. I wish I had this wisdom back when we first met. Sometimes you were absolutely infuriating, but at least I could stand to hang around and willingly argue with you. If my opinion was refuted then the sting to my ego would still serve the greater good.”

“I’m flattered beyond imagination,” Leo sniggered. “I’ve told you, don’t force yourself. Though it’s necessary that we deal with these things, they are poisons. Camilla is impervious to most, yet even her can feel drained by the pretension.”

“Well, I’ll need you to remind me about that. And… I’ll watch over you in turn, as usual,” Takumi smirked.

“As usual,” Leo grinned back. He leaned over, so close and confident that Takumi began to feel a little warm. “Let’s both go out with our younger sisters tomorrow,” he said in a giddy voice.

“You don’t have to work?” Takumi couldn’t help feeling hopeful.

“I told Xander and Camilla that if tonight go well, I would like to spend tomorrow tagging along with your group.”

 _Yet you advised me on protecting myself instead of fighting the Nestrians to the bitter end?_ Takumi thought. _I would have switched the priorities._ “What have you done to my overachieving friend?” he asked, chuckling a little out of disbelief. “Ah, is this a different approach to study Hoshido? Infiltrating the life of commoners? I know I would love to do the same when we go to Nohr.”

“I guess I can do that too, but I didn’t think that far.” Leo’s cheeks went a little pink. “I simply said that I want to play with you.”

Takumi’s hands flew up to hide his burning face. _I really need you to wrap up this feast now, Ryoma,_ he thought desperately. _My boyfriend is too cute._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ‘Gold apple’ is actually in the persimmon family ( Diospyros decandra , and the Jpn name literally means ‘golden persimmon’). The smell is wonderful and the wood repels insect. Please consider growing some as ornamental plant if conditions allow! ; )


	2. First spring - 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xander/Ryoma R content between *~* signs

*~*

Ryoma stood in the middle of the changing room, arms spread, feet planted firmly on the floor. Yes, he had a spacious changing room to his own name, and it was taking all of his might to stay put while the court ladies carefully lifted off the layers of garment from his body and hang them on their respective ikos.

He sighed for what might have been the sixteenth time.

In front of him, Lady Sho raised her eyebrows, all the while never stopped monitoring the stream of action that was quietly happening around  

“You don’t have to use the mother’s look on me,” Ryoma sighed once more, because he could. “I’m behaving, am I not?”

“Knowing your father, knowing Queen Mikoto, knowing you from when you were still an infant,” the lady answered coolly, "You are indeed behaving, Your Majesty. I am cautiously surprised at this positive sign.”

Ryoma made a face. “You have been waiting for an occasion like this, haven’t you?”

“To uphold etiquette and tradition, Your Majesty? Oh no, I have been working all my life for it, tonight is nothing for me. But it is a big step forward for you, our most secretly rebellious child,” Lady Sho smiled with teeth.

Ryoma shivered a little. Lady Sho finally let out a laugh, shaking her head at his scrunched-up expression. “Of course I have been waiting for the day of your coronation, I have always thought of you as my own son. Won’t you humor this old lady just a little more?” she said, the corner of her mouth tucked up. “Let me experience just one full day of our glorious culture. I know it will start to fall apart once the morning comes.  I have learnt to have low expectation for my warrior lords.”

 _Don’t you see that I’m already doing my best for you? My heart is on fire here,_ Ryoma wanted to groan. His toes were curling with the itch to run. He sighed again, trying to no avail to regain a dignified look.

By the time he was stripped down to the hadajuban, his patience had drained. Ryoma raised both of his hands to halt the process. “I think I can take it from here myself.”

“Your Majesty, the procedure is-”

“Please.”

Hearing this word from their master made all of the maids freeze up. Knowing that she had lost the battle, Lady Sho bowed deeply and formally wished him a goodnight. The maids quietly bowed as well, then followed the lady out of the room.

The moment the door slid closed, Ryoma exhaled and started to make his way to the side door on the left. He stopped short of opening it, however, thought for a moment, then turned around and marched to the door on the other side, where it opened to his washing room. The large bathtub was filled with steamy water from the hot spring, clouded with minerals and colored with many herbs. Ryoma didn’t care for any of that. He had already been made to bathe twice that day, once before the coronation and once before the banquet, a third time was pushing it. Instead, he quickly dipped a fresh towel hanging on the side into the water, then scrubbed his face and part of his bang, where some product had been used to keep his hair in place. The heavily scented water made him sneeze loudly, but he didn’t spare any time to recover from this involuntary shock. After quickly pressing his face to a dry towel, Ryoma turned and rushed his way back to the changing room, crossing to his previously intended destination and roughly shove the door aside to enter his large bedroom. He continued to jog straight ahead to another sliding door and gave it the same uncivilized treatment. There, he entered his personal reception room and-

And stopped and stared.

In the room flooded with cool night air, Xander was sitting at the low table. One of his knees was drawn up, his right arm rested loosely on it, his eyes were looking out through the open door to the private garden. He had changed to a simple white yukata; his hair had also been freed from the neat form it was in for the banquet, curling and falling as it pleased around his face. The color and folds of the cloth made him look even taller and more at ease than earlier, statuesque and regal, a master of the place as much as a revered guest. Xander looked like he belonged to the enchanting world out there, where the night was awash with moonlight and the white sand was twinkling like the sea of dreams.

And when he heard the noise and turned to Ryoma with the peaceful smile still on his lips, Ryoma knew that it was his world too.

“Ryoma.”

Ryoma crossed the distance in two strides, crouching down and reaching for Xander just as Xander caught his sleeve and pulled him forward. He saw Xander’s sparkling eyes, felt his warm breaths and heard the little joyful chuckle. And then they were kissing, blisteringly hot and perfect. Xander’s lips were yielding and smiling. He hummed and then moaned when Ryoma’s tongue reached in, tracing from the lines of his lips to the depth of his mouth. His tongue greeted back with gentleness, his arms wrapped tightly around Ryoma's back, then shoulders, shifting Ryoma’s weight forward and ever pulling Ryoma closer toward himself. Ryoma could only dive deeper and take more. Drunkenly, he pressed wet kisses along Xander’s jaw, down to his neck, tasting the hot skin that jumped with each hitching breath. His right hand pressed under the collars, his palm spread over Xander’s chest. He could feel the strong heartbeats, the deep inhales, the taut nipples. His mind was intoxicated by Xander’s scent mixed with the faint chypre fragrance embedded in the yukata. _Mine. Mine._ His heart cried. _It has been too long._

It took much time for his brain to really catch up with what was going on. He drew back to see Xander flushed and disheveled under him, lying on the floor and propped up on just the left elbow. Ready and open. The sight sent a thrill through every nerve in Ryoma’s body. He choked out and panted, “I can’t do this to you- This hard floor-” he gasped, “We need a proper bed.”

Xander blinked up at him with hazy eyes, taking a moment to understand the pause. Then he tipped his head back and huffed out a laugh. “Say... say who?” He said in between heavy breaths, his face still thoroughly red and his smile dazed.

Ryoma buried his face down in Xander's chest. “Don’t challenge me. I don't have your strength of restraint.”

“I don't know what you are talking about,” Xander hummed, but did nothing other than hugging Ryoma. Really, just having Ryoma's warm weight on him like this was enough to overwhelm him with contentment. He lowered them fully down onto the floor and shifted a little so that their bodies fitted better. A glow like fuzzy sunlight wrapped around his heart and erased all vile whispers of longing and anxiety, all small miserable murmurs that were always too sour to be poured out onto letters yet too rough to swallow down. He breathed in deeply, hopelessly trying to sate the crave for Ryoma’s scent, sound, touch, love. His hand idly petted Ryoma’s tied-hair, his fingers skimmed playfully from the nape to the ears and back.

Then he let out a sharp laugh. “Did they really make you wear makeup, Ryoma?”

Ryoma looked up and groaned when he saw white powder on Xander’s thumb. His face wash had not been throughout after all. “That, and the amount of time I had to wait to see you... I’m already beginning to regret kingship,” he said morosely. Lightly, he held Xander’s hand and kissed each knuckle.

“I’m not. I like everything I have seen,” Xander chuckled, his fingers returned to play with Ryoma’s jadeite earring. “I consider myself blind in the arts, but I have been at awe. You wear colors so well.”

Ryoma looked down at him. “Had you added one more thing to stand out tonight, I would have been put to shame.”

“No no, anything that aims to draw attention simply swallows me right up,” Xander laughed. “I would look ridiculous.”

“That is fundamentally incorrect,” Ryoma protested.

Xander just smiled back. “I don’t even like seeing the black crown on my head.”

“I’ll show you one day. Nothing outrageous, I promise.” Ryoma leaned down to kiss, more sweetly this time, and when he pulled back, Xander rose with him, keeping their bodies pressed together as they stood up and moved to the bedroom.

There were three doors that opened to the bedroom: one from the outside hallway, one from the changing room, and one from the reception room. These all opened to a small area that was separated from the rest of the room by a long folding screen. The theme of the screen for today seemed to be spring. Xander noticed all of the signature trees and flowers that he had been introduced to on the way up the mountain, painted in black and just the slightest hints of colors. There were also a little family of rabbits playing among the wildflowers and gazing up at the lively sky above. Ryoma grinned when he noticed Xander's fascination with it. “Do you like it? Would it make a good gift?”

Xander turned to him. “I’m not especially coveting it. Everything in Hoshido are inspiring, but it’s especially lovely to see things like this.”

“I thought of you when I chose it,” Ryoma said, leading Xander to sit down on the futon. “I figure that by this point, you wouldn’t care to see more symbols of royalty or power or immortality. I know I don’t.”

Xander looked around with a smile on his lips. The sleeping area felt open and simple, with only a few items neatly laid around the futon - a little lamp, a small lacquer chest, a page of writing mounted on a standing wooden frame.

Xander knew the last item by sight. It was a copy of Corrin’s favorite lullaby, written by him for Ryoma as an answering gift when they became friends. Some of the heat returned to his cheeks when he saw it so close to where Ryoma rest every night, then even more when his eyes found his change of clothes for the next day already placed next to the futon.

“I see that my retainers have interfered as much as they could.” He turned to Ryoma, his eyes seemed both hopeful and inquisitive of Ryoma’s reaction.

Ryoma chuckled and pulled Xander into his arms. “I can’t complain about their foresight,” he leaned sideway until his weight pulled both of them down, lying sprawled face to face with each other, “I might have danced a little right in front of my siblings when Saizo said that you would have an additional room in my quarter.”

Xander closed his eyes to enjoy their embrace. “I think I was more surprised by the fact that it was arranged at all. I know that he and Charlotte has had frequent communication in preparation for this trip. Charlotte has been… rather vocal about her irritation with him after each new letter she got.”

Ryoma made a face. “I’m afraid that Saizo has an odd way of expressing his care. I think even Kagero has given up with trying to help him.”

This made Xander open his eyes and blink. “...Saizo, toward Charlotte, you said?” He frowned, trying to recollect any clue he might have seen about romance between the pair.

“Life works in mysterious ways,” Ryoma kissed the crease between Xander's brows. It made Xander close his eyes again and part his lips. Ryoma happily answered the silent request. Ah, how he dearly missed kissing Xander like this, when he could feel the smile that his eyes didn’t always see, and his lover was always smiling a little when they kissed, gentle lips lightly pulling at his, both eager to please and asking for a bit more. They couldn't stop shifting against each other, hoping to find a way to fit together more tightly than physically possible. Ryoma flattened his palm against Xander’s back and enjoyed the feeling of hot skin under the thin fabric. His hand travelled the curve down then cupping - a long wonderful curve that kept getting hotter and dreamier. Xander was raising his leg, hitching it up to Ryoma's thigh and then hip, letting Ryoma go lower and deep **-**

 _Wait_ , a thought rose in him, _back to the curve_. Ryoma moved his hand back and around, examining while still a little light headed with the feel of Xander's body. The truth did shine through his hazy mind though, and he gasped lightly, “You are not wearing underw-”

Xander hastily put his palm over Ryoma's mouth to block the word. “I have a room near you,” he mumbled. “I might as well make it useful.”

Ryoma kept looking in awe, making Xander even more flustered. He inched a little closer to Ryoma’s face and peered up. “Nor do I want to discuss who do what tonight. I have made preparations. Consider it... impatience.”

A moment more, and Xander couldn’t stand the wide-eyed stare any longer. He pulled Ryoma into an open-mouthed kiss, the slide of his tongue sent hot throbs straight down to Ryoma's cock. Groaning with profound appreciation, Ryoma kissed back. His hand found the way into Xander's hair and cradled his head, his fingers loving every single curl. For a moment, Xander wrapped his arms up over the back of Ryoma's shoulders and locked their embrace, but then it wasn’t enough. His hands roamed over Ryoma’s body, his legs parted to feel Ryoma’s thigh brushing between them. His heart pounded loudly along with Ryoma’s, each powerful beat echoed throughout his body. Their hard-ons pressed hotly against each other through the layers, their bodies tangled in constant movements, so wound up with desire but even more desperate to soak up each other's presence for the time being. They pulled at the clothes and suckled at each new patch of skin that get revealed. Xander tilted his head to bite the first trace of black ink he saw on Ryoma’s shoulder blade. He felt the muscle tighten under the skin, and a shiver of pleasure shot through Ryoma’s body to escape as a groan. The sound made his cock jerk little, and he smiled and licked at where he had been rough.

Finding himself over Xander once more, Ryoma rose up a little to look down. His lover was fully naked on top of the open yukata, flushing red against white and glorious in his beauty. His golden locks softly draped over Ryoma's fingers like a pool of sunlight; his strong neck all open for tasting, offering up trust and asking for intimacy. He looked at Ryoma with half-lidded eyes, as if avoiding his Ryoma’s heated gaze, as if challenging and inviting. His chest rose and fell lightly, shining with a fine sheen of sweat, red marks blooming where Ryoma had pressed his teeth.

Ryoma leaned down to kiss those soft eyelids, brushed his mouth on top of the wet lips and nibbled at the base of the throat, then dragged his tongue down Xander's chest. It made Xander jolt and shiver, and brought Ryoma immense delight. Under the press of his tongue, he could almost tell the flow of life thrumming through the veins, needy and aroused in response to his own hunger. He placed his hands over Xander's chest, rubbing the nipples with the flat of his palms and then the side of his thumbs. Then he gradually travelled lower, until his breaths brushed the base of Xander’s cock.

Ryoma smiled as Xander left the course of action to him. Taking the cock in one hand and gripping Xander's strong hip with the other, he flicked his tongue along Xander's inner thighs, sometimes kissing, sometimes biting, all to please his own desire to taste and tease. Sometimes he smooched and licked the hard cock as he slowly stroked it up and down, but never staying long enough. Xander reached a hand down and burrowed his fingers in Ryoma's hair, his tugs gentle and occasionally halted just before they could become demanding. Ryoma knew the reason well - everything was as much sweet torture for himself as for Xander. The gathering scent of sex and the love touches were putting him in a lust haze. His spine tingled, and throbs of pleasure layered upon each other low in his stomach. He felt Xander become more sensitive and impatient under his caresses; all he did then was adding the drag of the base of his palm against Xander’s balls, feeling them resting full and heavy in his hand. Despite his lover’s desperate groan, he decidedly avoided giving a firmer touch.

Until Xander's hand came to cup his cheek then pinch it.

Ryoma looked up with a grin plastered over his face. Xander was raising his eyebrows at him, his gaze both admonishing and burning with the need for more.

“I was having fun.” He rose up for a kiss.

“Your desirability suffered for that.” Xander sighed into his mouth

“Ouch! Your body adores my touch, you know.”

“That it does, I can do nothing to deter it,” Xander nipped at his chin. “One would think that I adore you too.”

They chuckled together. Ryoma couldn’t stop grinning. Gods, he was painfully hard, but after so long apart, he wanted everything, including a little playful time. He and Xander would never have enough time for each other, yet that was no reason to be hasty. If anything, he felt the urge to be defiant and do all of the enjoyable things that they would had they got eternity.

Xander seemed to understand him perfectly well, for he did not voice any further demand, instead simply answered the kisses and idly skimmed his fingers along Ryoma's sides. Then he reached his hand down along their bodies and began stroking their cocks together. Ryoma added his hand for a while too - joining Xander's for a few strokes, caressing the long fingers there in greeting, then reached further down to tease the ring of muscle behind. He traced his finger tip around it, felt it slowly relaxing and twitching as Xander breathed deeply along with the strokes on his cock. The soft openness there pulled Ryoma in, made him lose his restraint and pressed two fingers inside. He was immediately apologetic, knowing that he had gone too fast, but the muscles just gently gave way and wrapped around the fingers.

“X-Xander,” he inhaled sharply.

Xander moaned lightly and clung closer to him. “I said I am prepared,” he murmured.

“Yes, yes my dear,” Ryoma quickly reassured him, his mind still dazed by the sudden image of Xander stretching himself for tonight and... and maybe even did something before _and_ during the dinner party- he almost bit his tongue at the thought. “I think you’ve just fried my brain,” he whispered desperately and leaned down to leave another bruising kiss on Xander’s chest, not daring to ask if any of his imaginations was true. Then he rose and reached for the chest box by the futon, fumbling inside to find a jar he knew would be there.

The lotion poured out clear and unscented. Ryoma let it sit in his palm to warm up. Unable to see from below, Xander picked up a little from Ryoma's hand with the tips of his fingers and play over it with his thumb, pleased when it felt light but not runny. He looked up to find Ryoma’s eyes turning darker as the salve coated his fingers, glistening strings hung idly and heavy drops slowly slid down toward his palm.

Ryoma leaned down and caught them with his tongue, his free hand took Xander’s wrist and guided the wet fingers into his mouth. Xander let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes as he felt Ryoma sucking, hot tongue and sharp teeth played with his digits until he moaned. A moment later, soft lips came to press onto his; Ryoma's tongue pushed into his mouth for a kiss tingled with a new sweetness.

In the kiss, Xander barely felt the lotion being spread behind him, until Ryoma's fingers smoothly pushed in and began to curl inside. He lifted his knees higher to allow the touch; the feeling of being filled under Ryoma’s ministration made him hum into their kiss.

Ryoma thrusted two fingers in and out, trying to refind the depth that would give Xander utmost pleasure. Xander was as responsive as ever, constantly shifting under him and making small quiet sounds, almost as if ready to take anything Ryoma could give. The arousal was becoming dizzying for Ryoma, his mind sometimes taken over by the heady scent between their bodies, the softness pressed around his fingertips, the feeling of precome and lube slipping with Xander's fingers around their cocks. He drank in the sight of his lover's face, counting eyelashes and letting his breaths tremble along with each tender sigh that escaped those lips. When Xander craned to kiss all over the side of his neck, Ryoma could do nothing but close his eyes to savour each burning spark that was being planted on his skin; his heart made a silent prayer for time to stand still and preserve this perfect heat between them forever.

As he reached a certain spot, Xander suddenly took a deep, shuddering breath. It was then that he added a third finger, his thrust now slower but precise and rhythmic. Xander arched against him, gasping in the attempt to keep his breathing regular and his body relaxed, but Ryoma knew that the heat was building, tight and insistent. A little more, and Xander almost forgot his hand on their cocks, merely laying there with his lips hovering by Ryoma’s, bearing the waves of sensation until he couldn’t help but tensing up, his other hand flew up to clutch at Ryoma’s bicep. Ryoma stopped moving, kept the fingers still inside to help Xander calm down a little and nuzzled into his neck reassuringly.

After a moment, he felt Xander's thumb slowly return to caressing the head of his cock, his lover shifting a little with the intent to urge him toward entering. But Ryoma shook his head lightly, “We should change, your legs may cramp,” he placed his other hand on Xander’s stomach to stop him and gently slid his fingers out. “Here, I’d rather hold you close.” He lay down on the side, spooning Xander and offering the left arm as support under his neck, his right arm wrapped around Xander’s chest.

For a moment, they simply lay there and enjoyed the feeling of bodies pressed flush against each other. Xander took Ryoma’s hand and pressed it over his heart. An invitation to touch. Ryoma let his fingers freely roam the expanse of Xander’s chest, teasing from nipples to hip and lower, tracing the side of the thumb along the firm dips of the abs, sliding into the hot press between strong thighs, reclaiming old pleasures and exploring his lover anew. As he guided his cock into Xander, he moaned lowly at the instant warmth that wrapped tightly around its head and drawing him in. Against his wish to go slow, his mind could barely stay clear, driven insane from the very first thrust by the sharp heat constantly rolling out from where they were connected. Xander arched and raised his leg to hook his ankle over Ryoma’s, his hand reached back to hold onto Ryoma’s hip and gain more leverage to move. It was unclear if this was of any help; they fumbled for a while with mismatched rhythms and accidental bumpings, one second panting with sudden pleasure, the next chuckling together for being clumsy impatient idiots.

It took more trials before they could move as they wanted, Ryoma thrusting in to spark Xander’s nerves every time and Xander pushing back just enough to make both of them hiss. He lifted his hand away from Ryoma a couple of times, trying to hold the base of his cock and stalling the inevitable, but eventually gave up. Ryoma helped by pressing his right hand firmly over Xander's collar bone, forearm keeping Xander right in place and with no chance to feel less than grounded. Xander’s mouth fell open in gasps, his eyes screwed shut, his expression locked up tightly and overwhelmed. The sight made the hot core inside Ryoma twist, his wish to draw this out longer warred with the desire to push Xander over the edge.

“Don't frown, my love,” he panted.  

A laugh bubbled out of Xander, breathless and sweetened by a moan. Ryoma licked and sucked the shell of his ear, then moved down along the curve of his neck. Xander bowed to expose even more of his nape to Ryoma, moaning louder as kisses turned into bites on his shoulder. He felt each hot thrust to the core. Ryoma left nothing unloved.

Pushing Xander's hair behind the ear, Ryoma cupped his cheek and turned his face around so that their lips could meet. He was thrusting harder and harder, each push deep and demanding, driving Xander's moans higher until they were sharp, stuttered cries against his mouth. Ryoma's eyes locked onto Xander's face, learning every shade of pleasure. He knew Xander held little control left, his body was crying out in tense anticipation, his gaze wet and wild, his voice breaking and calling to Ryoma with abandon.

“Ryoma...Please.. Ah- Ahh!!!”

Ryoma pulled out barely in time, his vision nearly turned blinding white. Xander writhed in his arms, moaning as wave after wave of pleasure rocked through him. His blissful face made Ryoma feel feral; he rose to kiss Xander messily and grabbed Xander’s neglected cock, pumping it roughly. Xander choked out a keen sob into Ryoma’s mouth, his hip jerked as thick ropes of cum spilled hotly across his chest. Ryoma held him through the shudders, feeling overwhelmed with desire and love. Each moan seemed to send a wisp of warmth wounding around his chest, squeezing his heart affectionately before melting away.

“Ryoma, Ryoma...” Xander breathed softly against his cheek, patting his neck with hands that tried to hold on as well as caress. His arms and thighs were still quivering slightly against Ryoma.

Ryoma leaned into the touch and kept his cheek pressed to Xander’s, only lowered himself again when Xander felt the wish to turn and lay on his back. Xander angled his face into the crook of Ryoma’s neck, let Ryoma give his chest a cursory wipe, but tugged at his lover to halt further efforts. “Ryoma... You held back,” he murmured.

“Shhh,” Ryoma brushed back Xander’s hair, “I was being selfish. I wanted to see you clearly.” Somehow even his voice had turned hoarse. He gave up trying to give Xander space to cool down and wrapped his lover in a tight embrace.

Xander let out a content exhale. He turned to his side, nestled against Ryoma and kissed him all over, from his chin to his forehead, between his brows and under his eyes. “What would you like?”

“Hngn, no idea,” Ryoma’s brain really didn't have enough blood to compare options right now.

“The first thing that comes to your mind then?” Xander continued to pet him lazily. His left palm slid over Ryoma's back, then up to the flank and front; he was careful to avoid the hard cock between them, but held onto Ryoma’s waist as he hitched one leg over Ryoma’s hip and lean forward, letting the head of Ryoma’s cock slide between the hot press of his thighs, along the upward curve still slick with spilled lube.

Ryoma shuddered and thrusted forward. “I have said I don’t have much self-control when it comes to you-”

Xander bit at his earlobe. “How about you tell me where I can find this sense of control and wreck it? I am talking about what you like here, and haven’t even begun on what I want.”

He pulled Ryoma forward and up with the clear intention to have his lover on top of himself again - an impossible feat considering the unwieldy size of Ryoma, but the point was made. Ryoma finished the movement for both of them and took his place between Xander's legs, pinning Xander down with body and gaze alike. “You and your irresistible demands,” he panted, giving the last warning look he could spare.

“Just me,” Xander answered. He let out a hitched breath when Ryoma bit then suckled each of his nipple - a little meanly but no less than what he deserved for his provocation. Leaning back and kneeling on his knees, Ryoma looked down and considered what he wanted. The sight of Xander made him smile, and he traced around the soft rim with two fingers then inserted and scissored with firm pressure. Xander shivered, clearly hypersensitive, but did not tense up. His body was pliant, trembling slightly with each twist and turn of Ryoma’s fingers. “I will make sure that you come again,” Ryoma said lowly, rising over Xander while adding a third finger. He nipped and sucked more marks along Xander’s abdomen, his hand thrusted faster and pressed harder. Xander let him, gasping and opening himself to the onslaught of sensation.

He thought of playing with fire a little more, of adding his tongue and teeth, but decided to leave it to a later time. His body was beginning to shake with racking desire. Raising Xander’s legs, he thrusted in slowly, holding his breath to fully feel the gradual stretch. As he brushed by the sweet spot inside, he pushed his cock in to the hilt and rocked his hip roughly, startling a high moan from Xander. A stream of pleasure coursed through, making Ryoma groan and collapse forward, bracing his arms on both sides of Xander’s head.

“Come on,” Xander urged, kissing the corner of his mouth, swinging his own hip and sending bursts of pleasure shooting up Ryoma’s spine. Growling, Ryoma pulled back to start driving into Xander with punctured movements, taking as he pleased. Xander met him in each and every thrust, letting him know how to go on. The frown had returned. Ryoma left it. The smiled had returned too, somehow. This he claimed with his lips. It was amazing, the amount of smiles Xander always awarded him.

Soon, all he could register other than the searing pleasure in his veins were the bucks of Xander’s hip against his. It was getting too close for both of them. “Gods-,” Ryoma gasped, seeing light sparked before his eyes. “Love- I can't- Hah...” They curled tightly around each other, mingling voices and bracing their bodies for release.

Then it hit. “Hn- Ahh!!” Xander cried out and jerked up fiercely. “Ryoma, I- Ah!!!”

Ryoma shouted; the coil of pleasure bursted and thrashed around, gripping him as ecstatic waves crashed against each other all across, sublime and devastating. Burning thrills rang through tightly strung nerves, echoed in every corner.  He dropped his head onto Xander’s shoulder and held him dearly, moaning and convulsing as the tight walls clenched and milked his cock, all thoughts tumbled into a vacuum, breaths knocked out and pulses loss. Their bodies trembled together, throbbing hard in the hot ripples of pleasure.

It occurred to him long moments later that Xander's name had been falling from his lips in litany, all answered with butterfly kisses to his temple. He inhaled deeply again and again, hoping to calm his frantic heart and regain some functions. A distance voice in his head was reminding him to move and clean, except that this body didn’t seem to be his to command anymore.

Another moment of procrastination passed. He spent it to feel Xander’s chest expanding and contracting with each breath.

Ryoma tried to lift his disoriented limbs, only to end up clinging closer to Xander. As he gathered effort once more, he felt Xander's fingers absentmindedly brushing through his hair, loosening the hair tie, then threading in to scratch his head and keep him in place.  

“Xander-”

Xander shushed him.

 _You spoil me rotten._ He thought and slumped, briefly closing his eyes to enjoy the small pleased hum of his lover.

~*~*~

\-----------

True to the prediction of the elder siblings, the first meetings between the Nohrian royals and potential Hoshidan collaborators were merely introductions. Much information was exchanged while everyone tried their best to maintain a pleasant level of polite interest, showing no sign of either over-excitement or prejudice. All sides understood that the sooner they could form a strong bond, the more beneficial terms they would be able to propose in the next draft of the mutual development agreement, and this could only be accomplished by avoiding rash actions.

This slow beginning was as peaceful and promising as Xander and Ryoma had hoped. By the time Xander’s coronation rolled around at end of June, Ryoma was able to assemble a nice little group of willing and qualified people to come to Nohr to promote Hoshido and seek further opportunities.

With this initial success in mind, Ryoma thought of how he would want a gradual introduction to Nohr as well - even though it’s not really possible in the pure meaning of the word, he could still adjust his attitude.

Unlearn a little. Refresh his eyes.

Forget the ruling mind and be a student once more.

The choice didn’t disappoint him.

Such as when they decided to arrive in Nohr at a remote portal outside of the capital, right at the break of dawn, so that there would be a chance to appreciate the wildness of this kingdom. Once their eyes had gotten used to the more subdued palette around, they could see the incredible amount of flowers and greens that had been rushing to grow since the beginning of the short spring. The force of life here was not to be underestimated.

When, on the way to Windmire, they made a little detour, following a rocky trail at the base of a mountain, cutting through new summer grass, holding their breaths as the ears picked up roaring sounds that gradually grew to be too thunderous to be believable, and then rounding the corner to find the most magnificent waterfall dropping straight down from the towering stone cliff. The top was so high it was completely obscured in water mist, the flow was broad and generous, possessing its own rainbow. On the perilous cliff, so steep only a few thorny bushes could grow, a family of mountain goat stood watching. Ryoma imagined that they were surveying their kingdom of heaven, claiming for themselves the current and the prism, the blooming valley below and sky as far as wanted, sparing little thought for the tiny creatures admiring from below. It was an awakening to find all at once a beauty so powerful, elegant, vigorous, eternal. He began to wonder if he had missed many other wonderful things along the way because his mind was focused on noticing the barrenness that it was taught to expect.

When they spent more than an hour talking about the winds that surrounded Windmire at different times of the year, tasting firsthand the formidable temperance of the summer winds around them, then passed through the city gate and felt calmness settle around. A dome of magic helped soften the Nohrian climate for the city. _It's only enough to be useful without being indulgent,_ Xander said. As Ryoma looked down into the enormous pit that contained Castle Krakenburg and the city center, he decided that Xander was being humble as usual. He had read much about the structure of this place, but it was another thing to put oneself in the middle of it for scale. The size and intricacy of this architectural wonder dwarfed all who stood before it. If something as ingenious as this city could be engineered and maintained, then there was no reason the Nohrian couldn't make their magic dome the way they wanted.

When the aesthetics of the castle unfolded before his eyes with astonishing contrast between height and depth, light and shadow, whim and order. Colorful sparkling mosaics placed opposite sharp armors and stern statues. Elegant water fountains nestled at the end of long dark corridors, flowing serenely under soft lantern light. Stone floor, plain and uniform to the point of being severe, looking up to domes of vertigo heights painted and lit like the starsky at eight intervals of summer. Books and paintings could describe angles, ambients, intentions, sometimes feelings, but none that Ryoma knew could express the layered vision of Nohrian arts that he was being greeted with. He was baffled by the range of material itself. There was much stone all around, but the look wasn't as rigid as the idea implied. There were many whites, some cold like pristine snow, others warm as sunlight and pink as rosy cheeks. He saw the most marvelous blacks too. Veined slabs as soulful as ancient forests; then a pure black deep and all consuming, strangely familiar when left in the rough, glossy like liquid satin when polished. Sculptures made of this stone came in all imaginable sizes, always thoroughly perfect, but the stone was used only for decoration, never structure. Ryoma racked his brain trying to guess its type.

 _Coal._ Xander had answered him. _Neither rare nor precious. Warmer and more comforting than metals and most other stones, I’ve always felt._

The modest origin made Ryoma fell even more in love.

He listened raptly as his Nohrian friends described decorations that had been brought out from nests of cobwebs to create a better atmosphere for the castle, as well as those that had been sold or put away, leaving behind empty spaces relieved of their violent presence. He learned history from them, too, as many were presents from other rulers of the past, his parents included. Each work was itself a union of different cultures. In a corner of his mind, each new pearl of knowledge he gathered about Nohr slowly stringed together on a loose thread, nudging him toward an understanding greater and deeper than to meet the eyes.

The first light finally came to him when his siblings began to point out little surprising details they found in the art pieces. On a crowded tapestry, a lady knight wore a smirk while sitting in a somber war council. In the corner of a marble relief, a merchant directed a mischievous wink straight at the observer as a furious philosophical debate broke out around him. On the ceiling painting, a jester blatantly mocked what formal royal proceeding was being depicted. At the base of a tall wall filled with mosaics of roses, where tangled thorny vines and gorgeous blooms made for untouchable beauty, a young child lay on the grass with cherubic cheeks resting on little palms, her gaze looking up full of innocence and awe. In a bloody battle scene, an argali stood at the top of the faraway hill and watched as the humans fussed over pride and loots, the halo of nature’s timeless dominance glowed behind its back.

It started to dawn on Ryoma that in his extraordinary resilience and defiance, Xander was embodying a part of the Nohrian spirit all along, a spirit that Ryoma could now recognize in many who counted Nohr as part of themselves, Corrin and Azura included. Layer by layer, a new image slowly unveiled for him. The Nohrian people had settled on the harsher side of the continent and thrived beautifully, had grown to be proud yet self-critical, hopeful as well as cynical. They craved to conquer fate but knew that all victors needed to learn from cautionary tales first. Darkness, nurturing light to breakthrough.

A thrill ran through him as he imagined Nohr’s power to change itself. It would be his honor to witness and aid in this process.

Xander delivered a welcome speech for the Hoshidan royals before his ministers and nobles. It was clear to all sides that the future king’s actual aim was to reiterate his intention to work closely with Hoshido. For this purpose, Ryoma assumed an unusual position - he stood shoulder to shoulder with Xander on the steps to the throne, presenting himself to the searching gaze and evaluation of their audience. As he looked down upon the crowd, feeling curious and also a little tense, he caught the eyes of the Chevois representative. She tipped her head, looked to Xander then back at him, and smiled. The cheekiness in that surprising gesture pleased Ryoma more than he expected. Cheve was ready for a new relationship with Nohr and Hoshido as well.

Once again, Ryoma thanked fate.

And now, as he lay on Xander’s bed, Ryoma gave thank one more time as he looked out of the window to the greening sky. It had been mere hours since the world outside turned somewhat dark, and now dawn was already returning. All his life, Ryoma had only been told of the perpetual gloom of Nohr, never their white nights, where summer felt so gentle and endless. Even the Nohrians had forgotten to tell him of this gift. For someone who had lived his days and nights relatively the same way throughout his life, the phenomenon was messing up Ryoma’s perception of time beyond description. He felt as if he had all the time and energy in the world at the tip of his fingers.

With that perfect grasp of power, Ryoma breathed a content sigh and returned his mind to the pleasant misty zone of afterglow. He was laying on his stomach, there was a dull stretched tingle in his lower half, and Mun was on his back, using her tiny tongue to map the kiss marks that Xander had woven among his tattoo. He had no reason to move.

He turned his head as the sound of splashing in the bathroom next door slowed then ceased. A minute later, Xander appeared in his bathrobe. He was adorable like this, pink and clean-shaven, refreshed while also loosened by sex. Still, Ryoma gave him a sympathetic look. Being able to best one’s own anxiety didn’t mean that the worry wasn’t there with constant nag. Xander had gotten out of bed to bathe even though there were still many hours until the final preparations for his coronation needed to begin. He was probably being bothered by the idea of idle itself.

Xander took the chair from the writing desk to set it next to the end of the bed, then sat down and rested his feet on the blanket, next to Ryoma’s hip. Mun immediately abandoned Ryoma for her master. She gave a few testing licks to the water on Xander’s right leg and, upon deciding it mediocre, walked further down so that Xander could pet her.

Finally getting to turn and lie on his side, Ryoma placed a hand over Xander’s ankle and caressed it with his thumb. They watched each other like this, hiding nothing as color came and went on their cheeks with wandering thoughts, staying open to their lover as random ideas made the corners of their mouths turn up or their gazes momentarily smoldering then amused.

“How is your stay in Nohr so far, King?” Xander asked lightly.

Ryoma huffed out a laugh. “Fantastic. To be honest, I’m afraid that I’ve made myself stupid in your eyes with the amount of babbling praises I’ve been letting out.” He grinned when Xander shook his head. “I feel as if there are many other great things that you are still hiding from me. Are you doling them out so that I don’t get overwhelmed by the desire to learn everything at once?”

“I’d think that the atmosphere may prove… heavy and oppressive for you. Caging. Tiring,” Xander said, his voice going lower with each word. “Ah, maybe it’s simply too early to feel.”

Ryoma squeezed his hand. “I’m not some type of picky noble that needs dainty flowers and flirty butterflies on my balcony. If my coronation gifts to you include a few pieces on the softer side, that is only because I think they suit you as much as any blatant display of power.”

Xander stared at him. “I… haven’t looked at the gifts, actually.” He thought for a moment. “Rabbits?”

“Rabbits.”

Xander ducked his head. Ryoma saw the gorgeous smile anyway.

Basking in the high of gift-giving, he suddenly remembered an important promise. “Ah, I have something for you!” he cried out, pointing at the drawer of the bedside drawer. “Quick, in there. Check the pouch I keep there.”

Xander moved to sit on the bed and opened the drawer. He found the pouch easily enough. After his first look into it, however, he turned back and gave Ryoma an exaggerated frown.

Ryoma grinned. Xander must have seen the inro that stored his new insignia as king among the items in there. “What? Would you have me hold it in my mouth while I sleep then?” He challenged.

Xander just shook his head and reached into the pouch. Tentatively, he took out the most likely item: a long wrap bracelet of dark wood beads.  His eyes widened.

“What do you think?” Ryoma could barely hold his excitement.

“Did you make this?” Xander uttered with admiration, bringing it closer to the light to see better.

“The beads as well as the leather, yes,” Ryoma answered proudly.

Xander glanced at him and blushed a little. “This… This is so intricate. I must have kept you from your work.”

“It’s my pet project, done in my free time,” Ryoma defended himself. He wished he could put into word how much his heart fluttered every time he sat down to work on the item. He even spent hours pondering over which wood to use so that the scent and color would suit Xander.

Now, he slightly held his breath as Xander slowly examined the piece. The award came as Xander let out a little ‘Ah’ when he saw that a few beads were of irregular shapes and held rainbow twinkles inside. “Are these gemstones?” he exclaimed.

“In a sense. They are opalized wood,” Ryoma said, patting himself on the back for being the cause of Xander’s current expression. He had worn a similar one when he first found them. The stones were brilliant and full of personality, yet so subtle he was sure that Xander wouldn’t be able to give even a token protest.

And he was right.

He suppressed his chuckle at the conflicted look on Xander’s face. It was simply endearing, how Xander was trying his best to accept the gift with grace instead of shyness - he was afraid that it would resemble ungratefulness. Ryoma wished he could tell Xander how lovely and unnecessary all those concerns were.

In the end, Xander wordlessly presented the bracelet and his wrist to Ryoma so that his lover could finish his artistic vision. There was indeed a vision, as Ryoma made sure that the loops stayed loose. “Let me tell you beforehand that I do have an ulterior motive,” he said sheepishly, all the while appreciating how the subdued warmth of dark wood and leather shined a little against the cool tone of Xander’s skin. “My dream is to see this peeking out from under your cuff from time to time.” _In front of our families, our courts, our people._

The implication didn’t escape Xander; he reddened even more. He cleared his throat. “Ah, good thing I refused to wear armor for the ceremony then.”

Ryoma froze, only remembering right then what they were doing later that morning. “I didn’t really think about that. Well, you don’t have to- I didn’t mean-”

Xander quickly placed his other hand over the bracelet. “It is mine now, you won’t see it leave my wrist.”

Ryoma smiled and wove Xander’s fingers with his. “Here’s to all of your dreams. They will come true.”

“They will… Your optimism is getting dangerously close to Corrin’s,” Xander chided, but he already knew that Ryoma was unrepentant. An even bigger smile was breaking out on the face of the Hoshidan king.

“Ah ah, I even know how Corrin would reply to that,” Ryoma said and, just as Xander’s eyes widened at the realization of the nature of such reply, quickly spoke. “All right, spill it. What so-called impossible dreams are you holding?”

Xander opened his mouth to retort, but froze midway and swallowed his words.

“Aaand you are not denying!” Ryoma pushed. “Please tell me, Xander.”

Xander groaned. “...How can you see the fun in doing this.”

“I assure you, I don’t take fun in being told what can’t be done. I just love saying yes when you tell yourself no. I think it’s a shame that you do it.”

“You love being contradictory to me is what I’m hearing.”

“Selectively contradictory. Will you indulge me, still?” Ryoma grinned and insistently pulled at his lover’s hand, hoping to get him back to bed.

Xander huffed, then sighed. A moment later, he finally gave in, shrugged off the bath rope and climbed on the bed. He tucked himself against Ryoma’s chest. Ryoma immediately wrapped an arm around him, relishing in the coolness of his damp hair and skin. Xander’s breaths were slow and deep, brushing slightly right over his heart and making it sing.

“I know there are many things you can’t write in your letters,” Ryoma muttered. “I do, too. But I hope you would never feel the need to keep your dreams from me. They are so beautiful.”

“Beautiful? I just want to get rich,” Xander muttered back, the master of sarcasm.

Ryoma just grinned wider, “What will you do with the wealth of the word?”

Xander moved back a little and propped his head up on an elbow. He looked at Ryoma with searching eyes.

 

“Or we can backtrack a little,” Ryoma prompted, “Tell me about getting rich.”

This seemed to lead Xander to new thoughts, for he suddenly huffed out a laugh. “That reminds me. Ryoma, we are not only desperately poor, we are worse than poor.”

Ryoma nodded. “We need to build credit.” The matter of credit was indeed terrible for Nohr and only slightly better for Hoshido - prolonged war threats did that to all kingdoms.

“We need to build it fast. I can feel Nestra waiting to evolve from ‘reluctant friend’ to ‘master’ at the first possible chance,” Xander said. “You have heard of my other hundred plans about getting Nohr back on her feet again, but those will take a long time. Meanwhile, we need a few gentle reins to keep Nestra in line.” He moved his fingers down to play with the beads of the bracelet. “Do you remember that I reassigned many of my father’s former dark mages to alchemy work?”

“You mentioned that some researches were close to the final stage before the army claimed all funding.”

“Camilla has picked a few potential ones to revive and so far, we gotten some good results. I’ll take you to the workshop tomorrow. We still need a couple more years of intense work but-”

“And you are turning what kind of lead to what kind of gold here?” Ryoma cut in before Xander could talk down his achievement any further.

Xander laughed at the word choice. “If you must put it like that… lead to lead glass.”

Ryoma’s mouth dropped slightly. “...Crystal.”

“The sturdiest, sparkliest kind ever produced.”

“Right when they need to fix that dome and their hundreds of chandeliers.” Ryoma put a hand over his face and laughed. “Oh Xander, that Duke will be so angry when he finds out.”

“The opportunity presented itself. And Nohr was the contractor of the previous dome too, so I have some hope,” Xander said. “If the Duke decide he doesn’t want it, well, the rest of Nestra will make up.”

“They will. They love crystal,” Ryoma said. “Please tell me that Camilla has even more 'gentle’ attacks in store.”

Xander shook his head and chuckled. “Maybe some new pigments, but don’t count on those yet.”

“Long live the king. Hoshido sincerely wish you prosperity,” Ryoma cheered softly. “Now that you have gotten me properly worked up, may I learn about the big secret? My heart can withstand the shock, I promise. What do you desire, o richest king?”

“...You are cracking me up,” Xander chuckled and collapsed back down on the bed. He lay like this for a moment, face pressed against the sheet, before gathering himself and turning to Ryoma again. “I… This is going to sound unpleasant. Have the..., hmn, has the pushy side of your court interrogate you about something like… a grand achievement for your reign?”

It only took Ryoma a moment to make the connection. “What have yours said?” He said lowly, trying avoid getting agitated and angry.

Xander huffed. “They are throwing increasingly crazy ideas at me, not hoping any to be picked up, really, just to see what sins tempt me the most. There are a couple of ministers who are very insistent, though. They are too useful for me to disregard, but I’m starting to believe that nothing but an outrageous vision would be able to tame them. Apparently improving the life of others are not impressive enough to be considered a kingly goal for them.” His voice wavered a little, betraying his inner tumult.

Ryoma sighed. Among the nonsensical unspoken conventions of rulers, there’s one that required leaders to make big statements to assess their worthiness and dominance in the eyes of their subjects as well as outsiders. Some built opulent palaces and giant tombs, others conquered lands and people. There's a reason the Duke of Nestra would grit his teeth to give Cyrkensia all the best again. One could easily see the logic and history behind this pressure, but that didn’t make it easier for a reformer to work with the social expectations about these feats. “I haven’t been able to escape from them either,” he said, rubbing Xander’s arm. “They might be milder on my side, but their proposals… A few loud ones are petitioning for a great monument for my parents. It gives me goosebumps, thinking how that idea is the exact opposite of what my father and mothers would ever want, yet I can’t say a definite No until I put out bigger goal. Wave a bigger cape before the bull, so to say.” He couldn’t find the proper words for the rest of his bitter thoughts. Of all topics of contention between him and his ministers these days, this trivial one had been testing his patience and empathy to their limits.

“You are the perfect dutiful son,” Xander gently said and caught his hand.

Ryoma smiled wryly. It made his heart tighten warmly to hear this from his lover, the ruler of Nohr, the Xander who, a couples of month ago, had anxiously asked for a chance to pay respect to the altars of his parents, then said these same words to him afterward with moving sincerity and gratefulness.

Taking a deep breath, Xander said, “I’m sure you’d understand then, when I say that these demands have prompted me to think about other goals that can shut them down. If we are to be delusional, we will have to be delusional in my way,” his voice lifted a little at the joke, but he was biting his lower lip afterward. “I have been a little taken with one idea. You don’t have to take this seriously, maybe use it to fend off your frustrating ministers, but it doesn’t need to be indulged even in thought... yet. I want to build a tunnel through the mountain and canyon.”

Ryoma blinked. His mind turned bright and buzzing.

Xander was waiting for that stunned expression to let out a mocking laugh. “I know, how dare I pull you into this. Nohr is barely out of decades of bad governing and stabbing everyone in the back-”

“My dear, I must cut you off again.” Ryoma recovered in time. He leaned forward to give Xander a peck on the lips and wrapped his arms around his lover. The action broke off Xander's train of thought. Instinctively, he hugged Ryoma back.

“Don’t dismiss your dream like that.” Ryoma whispered into his ear. “I must thank you. What is it that I have often said to you? Stop making me more excited about your reign than I already am. You are firing me up.” Even the most superficial economics and military implications of Xander's idea were making him giddy.

Xander seemed to be at a loss at Ryoma’s reaction. “...You are supposed to tell me that it's still impossible no matter how we want it,” he said raspily. “Leo flew out of his chair when he first heard it. _I_ flew out of my chair when I first thought it.”

“So you have told Leo!” Ryoma went straight to the side detail. “And what did Camilla say?”

“...She just laughed and clapped her hands.”

“Not out of mockery, I bet.”

“...No” Xander said. He frowned at Ryoma's smug expression. “Desires blind, Ryoma.”

“You are afraid that you are letting yourself be tempted by a sin. Let me tell you that you won't fall for it," Ryoma said.  "I know your fortitude. When you left Windmire for the chasm last year, you led your people down a thorny path with both aplomb and a burning desire. Remember how right you were from one decision to the next. You navigated every narrow chance beautifully because you never lost sight of the end.” He brushed back Xander's hair. “I guess it feel different now, building and wanting like this. A large part of it is the opposite of just keeping your soldiers alive, even if you are still talking and writing to everyone as you did before. But believe that your resolve you find within is still right, and if it becomes hard sometimes, believe in your loved ones." He kissed Xander's forehead. "We will always play devil’s advocate when you truly need it.”

Xander stared at him for a moment, then lowered his gaze in silent agreement. Frown softened, he placed a lingering kiss on Ryoma’s chest, then reached down to pull the blanket up over their waists. Ryoma was gratified - his lover had finally decided that their place for now should be in bed.

“It is strange,” Xander said after a while. “These days, I am often lost among so many plans to build Nohr, yet somehow I still hold so much qualm about kingship. I need your excitement to make up for the lack of mine.”  

Ryoma patted his hair. “That is because you like to dive straight into making them real and pile more responsibilities on yourself. I can be carefree because I’m still at the dreaming stage; I’m only an observer, looking on with awe. Wait until you give me assignments and make me do my share of work, maybe you will hear my groans then.”

Xander smiled wryly. “My brain has habits that I can’t fight. I do get that thrilling feeling from envisioning a grand future sometimes, but right before I jump into action, I’d be reminded that I’ve never built anything I could expect to last.”

“I can spend all day listing the things that have lasted. You can, too.”

“I love you,” Xander sighed softly.

Ryoma tightened his embrace. He wondered if Xander knew how his whole body always melt a little when he relaxed, how he let out endearing sounds that made others want to hug him and keep him in bed. “Just so you know, if you want my complaints regarding your works, you will have to take a nap for the next five hours,” he murmured. “I need much time to rummage for one.”

Xander turned his head up. “Next you are going to say that you’d be more useful sleeping.”

“I’m guilty as charged.” Ryoma presented his best winning smile.

He thought Xander would give up and look down again, but his lover suddenly reached up for a fierce kiss. Ryoma couldn’t help a delighted noise. It was one kiss and all of the kisses; they kissed until their bodies burned up then calmed down again, going from dizzying desire to light-hearted joy, shifting from heated groans to muffled laughter. They were still chuckling when Xander moved back with an extremely fond expression and returned to his preferred place. Ryoma knew his own face must be wearing a smitten look too; he hoped it show how stupidly happy he was.

He wrapped himself tightly around the broad frame of Xander once more. “Rest, I will wake you when it’s time. Then we will make you king, my love.”

 

Xander simply pressed another kiss over his heart.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m horrified by the length of this extra and also laughing through tears at the fact that we literally went through 100k words before there’s any smut in this fic, I’m so so so sorry :”))). The song I’d love to go with this part is [I burn for you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1FOLcGo9Ns).
> 
> So, a tunnel… my wild imagination kicked in again. If we can have the ‘absolutely secret’ Eternal Stairway going from near Wind Tribe Village all the way to Fort Jinya, we could push for a tunnel through the mountain… Right? Righttt? @_@””~
> 
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	3. What shall one do with summer?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Camilla made a wish and was pleasantly surprised. In other news, people around her have become cuter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CamiNoka R content between *~* signs

One day, as Camilla danced around the fort of paperwork piling on and around Xander’s desk, she had sudden a sense of déjà vu.

It was a small, leisure question of _What next, and when?_ Not the kind of question one asked when they didn’t know what to do, but the kind of question to ask when they didn’t know what they wanted.

It was gone in a brief moment, but it returned the next day, and then every few days afterward. _I had been in this state before_ , she was reminded, curiously. She kept thinking about it as more busy weeks came and went around her like endless ocean waves. Meanwhile, the feeling began to settle in her heart, so naturally that she couldn’t doubt that it belonged to her entirely.

Until one morning, when she realized that for nearly two days, she had been procrastinating other works in favor of planning Sakura's birthday presents. What would Sakura love? What would she use? Who would she want to grow into? Those were the only things that filled her mind.

A little box seemed to open up.

For the rest of the day, Camilla’s thoughts drifted among the numerous threads of feeling that have accumulated through her earlier life. _If person ever come close to bathing twice in a river, it would probably feel like this_ , she marveled. There were the days before any of them had the energy to care about Hoshido, when her soaring dream of glory turned to dust along with the last rays of youth in her heart, leaving behind only the struggle to protect her siblings. There was the time of agitation when she didn't know what to make of Corrin's intention, Xander's belief, Leo’s choice, or Azura's secrecy, when on her tongue laid only the bitterness of resignation and impatience. Then the period when her heart swung madly between elation upon their unification and cynical hope for the future - when she had to fool herself into believing that no dark force could rip her family apart, not even a mad dragon or the poisonous man that had birthed and cursed them. Through all of that, she had survived by clinging to one single desire at a time.  

“I didn’t expect to remember this right now huh?” she said to herself in astonishment, almost laughing at her own absurdity. Ever since the new era dawned and everyone began the work to free themselves from the past, she had been extremely productive, even having fun. Being competent in court work had always served her well. Not only could she accomplish everything she needed, she could tell what should be the next aim, who to nurture and what to exploit. When people looked into the network of relationships and desires woven among social leaders, many saw an abyss, while she saw a game. Deadly, but playable nonetheless. What more could she ask for, then, when she was making history and realizing the dreams of her loved ones at the same time? But somehow, she was getting the inkling that this was not what she truly yearned for. That, like how she used to act in troubled time, her vision was narrowing and her energy was being poured into works that kept her occupied, not excited.  

For nearly two years, she had been of the belief that she had escaped the spiral of cynicism that once haunted her, yet here were its remnants, resurfacing when she was supposed to be quite happy and motivated for the future, just as the rebuilding effort was starting to bear fruit.  One of the differences this time, however, was that she could find none of the desperation or despondency in herself. It seemed that the storm had calmed, leaving behind only a lesson imprinted deep inside her. This newly developed instinct was now gently sounding an alarm to get her attention. She possessed a heart that demanded to be heard and heeded, it said.

The other difference was that she had Hinoka.

Lovely, magnificent Hinoka, who looked at her with an unwavering gaze as she searched for the words to describe a wish still its infancy, her hesitant phrases full of pitfalls and graceless angles. Hinoka, who dove into the hunt for the right words along her side with enthusiasm, as if seeking for the perfect pearls to adorn the crown that was her dream.

There wasn’t even a grimace about ‘selfishness’.

For the whole day that Camilla spent in Hoshido for the party, her thoughts revolved around only family and the new future she was sketching with Hinoka. It was such a relief compared to her usual working time that she felt bold enough to make leap. On the following morning, after she kissed Hinoka goodbye, she said. “I think… I would like to discuss with our siblings. Whenever you feel ready as well, of course.”

Hinoka simply gave her a brilliant smile. “When we gather again after Leo and I come back from our next work trip then.”

It was decided just like that.

*

When Camilla and Hinoka came by Xander’s room to get him for their planned talk, they were informed that he had already left for the library.

As they walked down the hallway outside the second floor of the library, they saw an open door, showing Xander standing inside in the shadow, leaning on the railing of the gallery to look down to the floor below.

Camilla stepped to his side and put a hand on his back. He turned and raised a finger to his lips.

On the center space of the first floor, she saw Ryoma sitting at the large desk, whittling something, his tools and wood pieces spread out all over the table. A few steps across from him, Leo sat on the sofa with both legs pulled up, his chin and hands leaned on the knees, his face hidden so that only a pair of red-rimmed eyes were visible. His gaze strained unblinking on Ryoma’s hands, his right fist seemed to be holding a letter tightly rolled up.

Ryoma must have noticed his troubled state, but seemed to have decided against taking any action.

The stare of three people was unconcealable to a soldier, however. A moment later, Leo jerked his head up and spotted the trio upstairs. He jumped from the sofa, startling Ryoma as well. “Ahm-!” he sniffed, eyes wide, “Is- Is it time already? Let me go get Takumi and the girls.” He turned and ran out of the room.

“My my,” Camilla said as they descended the staircase within the gallery, “What happened?”

Ryoma set down his tool. “It seemed that before the leaders of the immigrant worker groups left this morning, they wrote a letter addressing specifically him. A page brought delivered it to him while we were in here. He was smiling while reading before becoming emotional, so I figured he wanted space.” He looked at them with a deep gaze, keeping his more definite assessment unspoken.

“Ah...” Xander’s frown melted into an understanding expression.

“Bless his pure heart.” Camilla shook her head and chuckled, wrapping an arm around Xander to steer him toward the sofa. It was rather obvious, the cause of their brother’s state. One of the first matters that Takumi and Leo had asked to work on after the war concerned the settlement of the Nohrian farmers who had come to Hoshido to work and become stranded here. Ryoma and Xander made it one of the kingdoms’ priority and asked Hinoka to join in with the boys, not only to help with the complex work entailed but also to emphasize its importance in the development of the kingdoms’ relationship. It had taken more than a year for them to establish an understanding with the Nohrian communities, and even with this, much more work still need to be done so that they could reach an agreement regarding the resolution of the land lease, the guarantee for quality of life and self-determination, and hopefully, the chance for other Nohrians who had fled from Nohr to Hoshido during the years of conflict to choose to come to these settlements if they so wish.

Just that morning, the settlements’ leaders had concluded their first visit to Windmire ever since the lease was signed twenty five years prior. Some of the delegates were only children when they left their homeland, many others remembered Nohr when it had a very different outlook. The topics of discussion were nothing new compare to earlier meetings, but coming back to Nohr was pivotal in providing them with a clear view regarding the kingdoms’ new direction. The atmosphere was almost electrifying, the results exhilarating, and many friendly dialogues concerning all aspects of life had opened up on the side, bringing about a true sense of solidarity. The leaders had expressed immense pleasure at how the event was organized, and it seemed that they had decided to repeat their praises to the one Nohrian royal who had been dearest to them.

“They can’t show it directly, but they adore Leo. He’s their young, earnest Nohrian prince,” Hinoka said, sitting down on the other side of Camilla. “We have been very lucky that the leaders are such great people. We were very tense when we first reached out to them; in return, they welcome us so warmly we all lost sleep over the guilt. When the three of us came to them, they practically hugged and kissed our cheeks like we are family. And they like our little brothers a lot. To be honest, I’m mostly in this to add weight to the matter and draw publicity, Takumi and Leo are enough to handle all the talking and thinking.”

“They are great because the Hoshidan communities around them have always been kind. Kindness pays forward,” Camilla said. Tilting her head to lean on Hinoka’s shoulder, she whispered: “My greedy self says it will miss catching our siblings’ moment of victory like this.”

“Well, my intuition says this,” Hinoka whispered back, “If you think leaving automatically means that you’ll be left alone, you are sorely mistaken.”

Soon after, Leo returned with Takumi and their young sisters in tow, looking as cheerful as he could ever be and joking around like a kid. Only some redness remained in his eyes; the elder siblings glanced at each other and smiled.

“All right, let’s begin,” Camilla sat up straight and clapped her hands together. “This won’t take long. I... Hmn...,” slightly faltering, she looked around, “For some time now, I have found myself mentally distancing from the general flow of court life and governing work. I can’t really explain why either, it’s like the awakening of… How should I call it, ah, my burning domestic heart?” She chuckled to herself, “I love being with you and helping you succeed, but other than that, the only initiative I truly want to take is to make a family with Hinoka and, hopefully, take care of some unfortunate kids to the best of my ability.”

Camilla felt Hinoka squeezing her hand as everyone else’s eyebrows began to rise. Warmth spread in her chest. “In other word, leaving court life and my title behind is an extremely attractive prospect to me. At the same time, I understand that it can’t be so clear cut and abrupt. Right now, I merely want to open the discussion for comments and suggestions.”

Takumi’s mouth opened and closed several times. “Wow,” he uttered, looking around, seeking for clarification and assurance from other people.

Camilla and Hinoka both beamed at him in lieu of an answer.

“So- So do you still want to live with us?” Elise asked, already leaping to her foremost concern.

“Always, my dear,” Camilla said immediately. “I may not be a princess in the future, and my living and working arrangement may shift to Hoshido, but nothing within our family will change if I can help it.”

“That’s okay then.” Elise let out a big sigh of relief and smiled brightly, “I love seeing you happy. It will be nice if you are in Hoshido, too. I know you will take great care of Sakura and Takumi when I can’t be there.” She took Sakura and Takumi’s hands in her own and raised them up cheerily.

“Why are you-” Takumi began, but Sakura had spoken up. “And we will take care of big sister Camilla as well. You can count on us, Elise!”

“Yes! I will entrust Camilla to you, Sakura!”

“I truly have no word to say,” Takumi said with wide eyes, looking even more lost. Meanwhile, Ryoma and Xander leaned closer together and started whispering.

“My mind is swirling,” Leo finally found his voice again. He turned to Camilla.  “Can… uhm, can you elaborate? You said you want to ease out of court works, am I correct? And you want to give up your royal title as well?”

“Essentially. I think I really want to build an orphanage in the near future. I won’t contribute anything to our royal legacy with that, so a title would be superfluous, don’t you think? Not only that, it’s only fair that all power and properties related to the title or to other positions that I have been appointed to be returned as well.”  

“That- That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?” Leo said, turning paler.  “Some of those titles didn’t come with any duty.”

“Haha, I can’t say that I haven’t enjoyed any of the privileges,” Camilla stood up to pour tea in the empty cup that her young brother was clutching. “However, if I am to list the royal treatments I don’t mind losing, it would be all of them.” She took his other hand, unfolded the fingers and put a biscuit into his palm, providing comfort in her maternal way.

“In my ideal scenario, I would be doing mundane social things if looking from the court’s perspective,” Camilla concluded as she sat down again, “Maybe some work behind the scene for you at most, unless there are cases where no one else can serve and you must call me in for expertise. Not that I expect to have any worthy expertise a few years after leaving, though. Personal diplomacy is treacherous water.”

Ryoma smiled. “So you are still willing to work with us. Can I be optimistic and say that you are looking for a different angle, then, a way for work and play to merge better for you than they are at the moment?”

“That’s very gallant interpretation from you, Ryoma.” Camilla chuckled. “It sounds good, I will thrive for that spirit.” Then she grinned at Xander. “Say something, big brother. Don’t make me nervous.”

Xander’s tense expression eased slightly. His sister hadn’t spoken to him like that in a long time. He looked at her intently, then spoke in careful words: “I must ask this first. Has work been too stressful for you?”

“No more than it has always been.” Camilla answer breezily. “I would even say that I like my current works much better than what I had to do before.” She smiled. “But I have found out that… that it’s not enough. It cannot be, because my true desire lies in something else entirely.”

“That was the first question I asked her as well,” Hinoka chimed in. “You can rest assured that it doesn’t have to do with how you have been working allies, Xander.”

Xander was still frowning. “About giving up your title. Is it for a pragmatic reason or… more, hmn, symbolic concern? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I don’t mean to question your motive, sister, only hoping to understand.”

It took Camilla a moment to find the right words, “Ah, you actually hit right on the spot.” She hummed. “I don’t mind being a useless princess, but to be honest, my life as a princess in line for the throne was rather off putting, to put it mildly.” She looked into his eyes, knowing he would understand without the need for further explanation. “I have developed a little aversion to my own position. With what I’m going to do, I might as well be nothing at all.”

Xander blinked at her, light shifting quickly in his dark eyes. _So expressive,_ she suddenly thought. With that, another unbidden idea sprang up in her mind. “Don’t take this personally, Xander,” she blurted out, turning around to look at her siblings, “You too, Leo, Elise. I know I’m practically running away, taking away your chance to do so many other things-”

“We are not going down this path, Camilla,” Xander raised his hand to stop her just as Leo and Elise began to cry their protests. “No need for apology or excuse, please.”

Behind her, Hinoka let out an approving chuckle

“I never want you to feel pressured into work,” Xander continued, “If there are things you want to do for yourself and places you want to go to, of course we will support you. If you dislike the thought of being in the succession line, then… then let’s do away with it. I have always relied so much on you that I can’t be confident about arranging other people to do your works, but… trust me that I will try my best. Nothing pleases me more than being able to realize your wish. I’m certain that you will excel at anything you choose to pursue, too; that in itself is already a boon to us.” He paused a little, choosing his words. “My only thought is that I would like you to retain the title of princess, so that you would still have royal retainers and that they can have the authority to do everything they need to help you.”

Camilla felt surprise tingled all the way down her spine. She didn’t expect Xander to go along with her idea so easily. “You are making me having more selfish wishes,” she said with an amused huff. “Thank you for thinking for me. I was expecting a very different worry, that you would need me to stay a princess to assert the power of the royal family, or so and such-”  

Xander waved his hand. “Some people would care about that, but anyone worth their weights know that your power doesn’t lay within the title. I think if you forgo it, many would suspect that I’m actually setting you loose on the world.”

Camilla’s eyes widened, “Oh dear, I can already call to mind the paranoid ones you are referring too.” Chuckling, she shook her head. “Nevermind, maybe I will forfeit the right to the throne but keep being a princess… for now.”

Ryoma leaned toward her with an eager expression. “This may be an odd time to say this, but on the topic of titles and latent power, may I propose that you become a princess of Hoshido as well?” He grinned at her stunned expression. “For all the work you have done to bring peace and love to our people, Hoshido would be honored to call you one of our own. A princess of two kingdoms, how does that sound?”

“What is this?” A laugh bubbled out of Camilla. “I say I want to get rid of my title and you respond by giving me more?”

“Why not? We don’t have to break down your authority in order to change it. The nice thing about honorary titles is that they can be exactly what we want them to be. You may use it however you want, including letting it gather dust in the closet. I’d rather give you that freedom.” He continued as Camilla giggled harder and harder. “And maybe it’ll can help you in some way when you want to do charity work in Hoshido. No Hoshidan can protest if you are my sister.”

“Nor can any protest if you and Hinoka decide to marry one day,” Takumi said. “We are practically asking you to consider us family here.”

Camilla was shaking with laughter by this point. This talk was nothing like she had expected; she was so delighted she wanted to bury her face in her hands.  She opted to leaned her chin on her palms instead. “I’m so happy with your proposals that I don’t even dare to believe in its success,” she said, slightly babbling.  

“I’m actually leaning toward the optimistic side in this,” Leo replied. “Besides, we can use this occasion to honor Corrin and Azura too. That is, if they don’t mind being in this kind of role after we practically kept them hostage for years.” He froze a little, only just then realized the implication of his words.” Maybe… maybe it would sound too ironic. Am I being a hypocrite?” His pure concern sent Camilla into another fit of snicker.

Hinoka ruffled his hair. “They would never think that of you. They may refuse if they feel uncomfortable being put in the spotlight in this way, or perhaps they will suggest a later time for it, but your idea is not bad at all.”

Finally patting her chest to calm herself down, Camilla wheezed and tried to breath in deeply. “It hasn’t been five minutes since I talked of retirement and you have already figuring out the next career paths for me,” she shook her head and stood up, walking around to hug each of them. “You are giving me so many options, I’m feeling overwhelmed. Let me think everything over, I already have the feeling that I want to follow all the things you have suggested.”

As everyone stood up and headed to dinner, Xander pulled her back. “I’m glad you chose to tell us as soon as you decided on the idea,” he said softly. “Don't hesitate if any more come up, all right?”

She stared at him, then grinned. “You have changed, you really have. Why haven’t I realized that before? Encourage first, analyze later, this is one hundred percent Ryoma's good influence.”

Her brother stared back for a moment. “Give me some credit,” he answered evenly. “If you can evolve into a domestic goddess then I’m capable of rediscovering my inner child too, am I not?”

Camilla could only snigger as she caught the ghost of a smirk on his lips.

\------

*~*~*

Hinoka watched Camilla’s expression throughout the evening. By the time her lover came back from her bath with dreamy expression, she couldn't hold back a chuckle anymore. “You are still in a daze from the talk, aren’t you?”  

“Hmn? Pardon me?” Camilla replied absent-mindedly.  

“I’m saying,” Hinoka cupped Camilla’s face in her hands, “That you are still in a happy trance from everyone’s reaction. Were it that surprising?”

 

“Surprising? Yes,” Camilla admitted, leaning into her touch. “In my hopes and doubts, I was half expecting support in the form of tolerance and objection in reminders of duties. Yet all I heard today were concerns for my convenience. I underestimated our siblings, didn’t I?”

“You were underestimating yourself too, when you held low expectations like that,” Hinoka smiled, then said cheekily. “Though I was a bit floored by Ryoma’s suggestion as well. Incredible, I would never guess that he could have such an inspired thought.”

Camilla laughed and smooched her. “You were nervous too, weren’t you? I have been wondering whether steak and bonbons being the menu tonight was a special arrangement. I don’t remember seeing them in the weekly plan. Were you prepared to console and distract me from disappointment?”

“Shhh, you are supposed to think that I prepared for celebration.” Hinoka stretched up for a proper kiss and wrapped her arms around Camilla’s body, so full and soft. A familiar sweetness spread warmly throughout her limbs, and she shivered as Camilla’s fragrance embraced her. Camilla had changed her perfume for the cool time of early summer in Nohr, one opening bright and luscious with green mango, turning creamy with fig and settling in the irresistible glow of labdanum. It made Hinoka cling onto her lover, a possessive heat began to coil up in her breast.

Camilla hummed, her palm pressed gently on Hinoka’s nape, her thumb brushing feather-like circles on the skin. “Hinoka, hmn...” she panted when they parted, her face flushed and smiling “I will admit that I have prepared something in case the discussion upset us. Just a silly little thing.” Her way of hinting was an almost shy.

Hinoka blinked slightly. “May... may I learn of this surprise gift?” she managed, barely thinking through the rush of heartbeats in her ears.

Camilla smooched her again before releasing her and turning toward her own closet. She rummaged for a bit before pulling out a soft bundle and quickly went behind the folding screen. Then began all kind of rustles from different materials, and for once or twice Hinoka was certain that she could see the shadow of Camilla stretching up or bending out to… remove items.

Hinoka’s heart began a giddy jog in her breast. She tried to look at the screen without staring͍- a throughoutly futile idea, and still jumped when all noises suddenly ceased.

A moment of silence, the sound of an inhale, then Camilla stepped out.

“Wow,” Hinoka blurted out. “Camilla, this… You are adorable!” She cried, instinctively reaching out. Camilla had on a loose, very soft-looking sweater. The thick yarn was milky pink, bright and clear like summer cloud. The boat neck and the hem hanging at mid-thigh showed off Camilla's shoulders and legs, while the long sleeves pulled just past her fingers made she look impossibly dear.  Camilla smiled brilliantly; she skipped over and jumped up into Hinoka’s open arms, wrapping her legs around Hinoka’s hip. Hinoka lifted her up easily. She tightened her arms and giggled, burying her face into the soft wool. The feeling of body heat just seeping into the wool and Camilla's full weight in her hold was incredible. She turned her face up to see Camilla craning to look down at her, a curtain of lilac tresses falling around their faces, shielding them from the rest of the world.

“I’m too far away to kiss you,” Camilla pouted.

Hinoka was still giggling. “I’m feeling perfect down here.” She swayed around a little, enjoying the tight grip of Camilla on her shoulders. “Where did you find this? Is this a new dye? I have never seen this color for wool.”

“New dye and new dying technique. This design is in trend now.  Elise wanted one, and when I saw it, oh my, I needed one.” Camilla grinned, cupping Hinoka’s cheeks through the soft cuffs. “It’s wholly irrelevant to our matter of concern, but it makes for nice comfort, isn’t it?”

“Comfort is always relevant.” Hinoka said. “I’m glad Nohr is matching forward so quickly, I’ll feel less guilty for tempting their princess away.” In the bliss of the moment, she was struck with a sudden impulse. It made her grin widely, even as her mind struggled to wrap itself around its own ambition. “I can’t believe Takumi got the word in before me about this,” she said, tongue tripping a little.  “Camilla, say- say you will marry me.”

Camilla blinked, then her whole body shook with laughter. “Yes. Yes, of course, if you do something so that I can kiss you right now.” She laughed even harder as Hinoka began to blindly walked toward the bed and climbed onto it on her knees. “My dear! Please don’t hurt your back.”

“You are far too light for it to complain,” Hinoka murmured. Stretching an arm up Camilla’s back and supporting the neck, she lowered both of them down on the bed. The maneuver made her pant a little, not from the labor but from the anxiety to make sure that they would not collapse on top of each other. She was immediately pulled down for a breathless kiss, soft lips nibbling sweetly and tongue caressing her mouth until her whole body seemed to be melting into a warm puddle. Quietly, Camilla shared her moans against Hinoka’s mouth, little sighs that filled Hinoka's chest with joy and her stomach with sparkling flame. Panting, Hinoka pulled back to kiss along Camilla's jaw, up to the ear and down along the neck, relishing the sounds of hitched breaths when her tongue flicked out to taste and her teeth lightly traced the curve of the collarbones.

“Hngn, my darling… Always sweeping me off my feet,” Camilla chuckled between gasps and arched against her, hands first fumbling to touch her all over, then rubbing down her back and behinds before pushing down the waistband of her shorts. A moment later, she felt Camilla’s knee pushing between her bare thighs, the brush of skin against skin an intimate and maddening tease. Hinoka moaned. She had to gather much resolve to sit up and began undressing properly.

Camilla stretched leisurely and looked up at Hinoka with twinkling eyes. Her hair was all messed up, her neckline pushed to one side for new kiss marks over old ones, dishevelment perfectly adorning the glowing flush on her face. As inch after inch of cloth rolled up and away, Camilla reached up with her right hand to touch, lightly running her knuckles up along Hinoka’s stomach, to the side then down the waist, a caress as tender as a whisper. Hinoka shivered as a ticklish feeling seemed to brush over every nerve on her body, making her lean into the touch and her inside throb with want.

Still, a different need rose in her. She took Camilla’s hand and turned it around to press the palm against her own chest, firm and insistent, until she could feel every mark of hardship etched there. To her pleasure, Camilla’s eyes turned dark at the invitation. Hinoka’s breath hitched as the large hand pressed upward over her breasts, splaying over the sternum and spreading the fire inside her before, with the gentlest of touch, long fingers brushed up the side of her neck. Camilla’s thumb came to rest over her mouth. Parting her lips, Hinoka turned to trace the lines of that palm with the tip of her tongue. She knew it was in Camilla’s instinct to worry that calluses would be unpleasant, irrational as that thought was considering Hinoka’s thick skin and even thicker hands. Sometimes it made Hinoka want to chuckle bitterly, how the pool of self-consciousness still gathered deep inside her charming lover. One day, one day she would find the words to speak of how she wanted to be touched exactly the way Camilla desired, about her dear wish that Camilla would feel as perfect as Hinoka always saw her.

For now, though, Hinoka put those feelings into her kisses. “You have been writing so much,” she murmured, breaths ghosting over Camilla’s warm fingers. During these two years, calluses from the pen had been rising between those from the axe. “Will you write under ‘Marx’ again?”

_Writing, for yourself?_

Camilla hummed. “Maybe I should. I haven’t thought about that for a long time.” Her other hand stroked up Hinoka’s thigh, short nails drawing teasing lines under the laces of the boyshorts. “These days, I feel as if my correspondents to most people are slipping into a cycle of coercion and beratement.”

“You-” Hinoka began, but Camilla had quickly shaken her head and sighed. “You and everyone all give me too much lenience. I wonder where my heart finds the arrogance to cry cynicism at my own choices.”

Her hand cupped Hinoka’s cheek, tilting for their gazes to meet. The air shifted. “Say, Hinoka, grant me your true thoughts.” Her eyes gleamed, amethyst moons piercing straight to Hinoka’s heart. “You have shown me nothing but support, but I need your selfish opinion as well. I can tell that you have been waiting for everyone else to speak first.”

“I have been honest.” Hinoka protested. “I was seeking their opinions as much as you.”

“Are you so careful,” Camilla’s fingers skimped over the sensitive skin behind Hinoka’s thighs, making her shiver, “because you know that you hold the greatest power over me?”

“Is it truly a power if it is to never be exercised?” Hinoka asked back.

Camilla bursted out laughing, the sudden sounds bright and free, “Oh Hinoka, I never thought you would let me hear you argue like this!”

Hinoka snorted. “How else am I to cope when my loved ones always wedge philosophy into everything.” Camilla giggled even more in response. Hinoka put her hands under the hem of the sweater, rubbing upward over Camilla’s waist to her soft breasts, gathering in her palms the flutters of laughter. Camilla lifted her torso so that the hem could ride up easily, her lungs taking strong, deep breaths that pushed her breasts firmly against Hinoka’s touch.

“How should I begin?” Leaning down, Hinoka lay the last kiss on Camilla’s bare shoulder then turned her face sideway. “Just as how you like to watch our brothers and sisters, I like to see you wielding power as well.” Her cheek pressed on Camilla’s upper chest, her head tucked under her lover’s chin. She let out an appreciative sound as the wool dragged softly against her naked skin. “You know how we admire you, Camilla. We think wonder of your charisma, your far-reaching vision, your passionate guidance, we are all too often guilty of indulging in our reliance on you.”

“While I have always seen those as tools of survival,” Camilla said. She chuckled wryly, then sighed, “Oh dear, sometimes I wished I possess the unwavering resolution and sense of duty that you all radiate-.”

“Shh, let me finish,” Hinoka admonished. Admonishing, that was another thing that these two years had taught her to give to Camilla. “I said all of that only to make clear one thing: that you are not to think that your ability has diminished or yourself easily replaced. If, after being assured of this, you still doubt the value of your work, then I think you are truly tired.”

Camilla’s eyes fluttered closed at that. “...Thank you for your candor.”

 _I would never dare to think of claiming that word,_ Hinoka wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. “I suspect that our siblings share a tacit agreement on this.” Pulling out a hand, she took Camilla’s right one and pressed her lips to the knuckles. “We want to take care of you, we just don’t know what better things we can propose to give you other than your own wishes. I sense that you have been waiting for someone to talk about the inconvenience of your suggestion, Camilla. Let me be presumptuous and speak for everyone else in our family: please dash that idea now.”

Camilla grew quiet. From Hinoka lips, her fingers traced up to Hinoka’s left cheek, cupping and patting absentmindedly. “There is a nudging suspicion in me,” she finally whispered, “that I am unqualified to judge the merit of this choice of mine. I am always reminded that when it first appeared in my mind, I saw it as an escape route more than an endeavor. You may be saying that it is okay for me to escape, but I...”

She left the words unfinished. A rare occurrence.

Ears focusing on Camilla’s heartbeats, Hinoka suppressed the urge to argue. She toyed with her options. Her mind cried out with the need to comfort and assure, but her experiences suggested otherwise. For her Nohrian friends, the instinct to push forward, to work harder and sacrifice personal wills for the sake of others were reflexes that they had honed to near perfection. Now the situation had pivoted, and every day was another lesson about freeing the heart.  Hinoka had watched with both pain and fondness as each victory in the transition to peace awed them, surprising them with its sweet rewards despite how much they had fought for it and was shaping it. They were always expecting the worst.

From the moment Camilla mentioned the idea of leaving court, Hinoka had nervously anticipated this conversation. Readily, she had recalled their talks from years earlier, when Camilla had worded her choice as one that went against the flow even as she knew the truth to be opposite - that her sanity really couldn’t survive court life much longer. Hinoka knew that even though Camilla herself had spoken up about her wish, she wouldn’t be able to stop second-guessing herself.

 _Come on Hinoka, it’s your turn to act._ Still shaken by a keen sense of helplessness, Hinoka scrambled together her courage. Rising above her lover, she cupped Camilla’s face. Her thumbs gently caressed over the eyelids and smoothing out the tension. She could almost sense in her own bones the agitation that was spreading from Camilla, that which was thrumming through Camilla’s veins, rendering her lips trembling and her breaths stuttered in an effortful quietness. “Is it my honest opinion or a direction that you truly need, Camilla?” Hinoka asked, feeling a flush creeping up her neck at this boldness, but pushed forward nonetheless. “Do you want a debate? Do you seek bravery?”

“I can pile questions on you, or I can give you commands thinly veiled as suggestions,” she forced the light-hearted confidence to stay in her voice. “Are you asking,” brushing the tips of their noses together, Hinoka whispered, “for a manifestation of power?”

Camilla let out a shaking sound, half gasp half chuckle. Her lashes fluttered faintly, but her eyes stayed faithfully closed. “Hinoka,” slowly, her lips spread into smile, shy and surprised. “Hinoka, I don’t know.” A deep inhale. “Don’t stop.”

 _How_ , _my dear?_ Hinoka huffed. “Here’s what you are going to do, Camilla: you will consider Ryoma’s offer and tweak it however you like. You may or may not accept Xander’s reasonings.” She dragged a thumb along the long neck to rest on the hollow above Camilla’s chest. “You will play with Leo’s ideas or leave them alone, coddle our sisters and I as always or not at all.”

She felt the hitches in Camilla’s breaths against her cheek and under her finger. “That last item is quite immutable,” came a murmur.

“Only if you say so,” Hinoka returned with her own chuckle. “You have to realize that these are not conditions for perfection. None of your choice is indulgent and none is unfair. In fact,” she deepened her voice. “I also insist that you change your as mind often as needed and make demands on our help. Can you do this, Camilla?”

One breath. In and out. Then Camilla’s eyes opened, her gaze brilliant and swirling with power. Instinctively, Hinoka’s body slackened. Tension she didn’t know was there drained out of her muscles in waves. As she let her weight rest fully on Camilla’s hip again, her lover’s lips spread into a wide smile. Hinoka could only shrug. General or not, she would never get used to pushing anything on Camilla, even for pretense. “Thank you,” Camilla said with humor. After a moment of hesitation, she continued, “Still, I want to hear a simple assessment from you. Please speak without fearing that I am easily impressed.”

Hinoka opened her mouth, but couldn’t find her tongue.

Camilla’s eye shone, her smile turned wry and knowing. “Or, since you want to spare me from hearing sharp words from you, shall I voice my wild guess?” Her tone was softer but more serious. “Do you think like Leo does, that this is a bit extreme? That it’s a pity I would leave this life behind?” She traced a finger across Hinoka’s lips. “Does it baffle you to see the shadow of the past plague my outlook and conscience? Is it defeat or victory, what I will gain through leaving, if this poison of a shadow has infected me so deeply that I must reject as much of my current life as… ah, virtually shedding my own blood and cutting off my own limb?”

Hinoka shivered under the weight of those questions. “I’ve seen you spend so much effort,” she said, deflated.

Camilla nudged at her back until she was lying down again. “I never thought that my train of thought would reflect something like that, until I realized how careful your and everyone have been with me,” Camilla said, her hand patting, as if Hinoka was the one in need of comfort. “You are right, Hinoka. I must demand help from our family in this, for you keep me from leading myself astray.” With a chuckle, she assured: “To all of your directions, I can and will follow them, I promise.”

Hinoka turned her face up to look for a moment.

She decided.

She kissed Camilla under the chin, then rose to claim those soft lips. _Sweetly_ , she originally wanted, but the taste of Camilla soon pulled her into the well of desire. She drank in the surprised moan that Camilla let out as she pushed her tongue in, felt it stoking a strange fire in her heart. Boldly, she invited and enticed, caressed and entwined. Her ears listened carefully for the changes in Camilla’s breaths, her hips pressed down firmly to feel Camilla’s leg brushing needily against her owns, her desire to please seemed almost a desire to claim.

“Oh Hinoka-” Camilla managed, but Hinoka cut her off by sealing their lips once more. She knew she had never taken an initiative that could overwhelm Camilla like this, not when her lover had always led so well and lovely. But she had learnt, too, that dire needs weren’t always understood and articulated, and even if she couldn’t know any better about it than Camilla, she could be brave and shoot an arrow in the dark.   

It was her reward that Camilla was saying yes to the unspoken question. Camilla’s hands, which had been holding and gently rubbing Hinoka’s back, were soon hungry for more touch, traveled south to pull Hinoka’s shorts down. Hinoka took the cue to halt the kiss and sit up straight. They fumbled to remove the rest of their clothes, their gazes never broken from each other. Panting through rose red lips, Camilla arched up and settled her hands on Hinoka’s waist again, impatient for the next move.

But Hinoka had place a hand on the middle of her chest, one finger pressing just-so on the hollow between the collarbones.

“Stay and receive,” she said lowly.

Camilla looked up at her with large eyes, pupils blown black, deep as the night. Slowly, she lay back fully on the bed, her heaving breasts slightly calmed. The sense of power made Hinoka both elated and instantly self-conscious.

“Let it be simple and easy,” she elaborated, then couldn’t help a shaky chuckle. “Hopefully.” Slowly, she leaned down to kiss Camilla again, this time on her neck and her shoulders, on each inch of her soft breasts and firm abs. She licked and bit too, on the sides of the breasts, where Camilla felt it the most. Her hands traveled where her lips had just left, tapping, massaging, drawing lines and circles. She pressed her cheek against the skin after each teasing gesture, giving comfort and catching in her hearing the quickening of Camilla’s heartbeats. More and more, her lips drew closer to the nipples, her touches became sharper and more urgent. Camilla was moaning quietly within each exhale, her left hand came up to rest on Hinoka’s nape, urging her to take more.

But it made Hinoka stop instead. Gently, she sat up and took Camilla’s arm, which had reluctantly slid down to her hip, and placed it back on the bed in an open, relaxed position.

Her lover looked up with quizzing eyes. Hinoka smiled. She laid down on her side within that open embrace, her front and hip pressed closely against Camilla’s left side, her head rested lightly on Camilla’s upper chest.

“Ah...” Camilla let out a small sigh, turning her head until her breaths were brushing phantom wisps into Hinoka’s hair. She wrapped her left arm around Hinoka’s back, laying still except for the fingers that petted the skin just under Hinoka’s left breast. Hinoka smiled again. Only her left hand could do much like this, but maybe that was part of the point.

She touched to her content, massaging Camilla’s chest and stomach with palm as well as knuckles until she could see the skin flush and hear louder moans. She filled her lungs with the cool scent of Camilla’s skin that shone through the light perfume. Faintly, she felt Camilla begin to rub her own thighs together, and it was enough to stir up a string of hot throbs inside her.

She hitched her left leg over Camilla’s and, feeling Camilla parting the legs for her, slid her hand down. Angling her fingers a little, she caressed - blunt nails scraping playful circles on Camilla’s inner thighs then, slowly, moving to the dips of her pelvis and eventually into the patch of hair, where every drag of nails induced an audible gasp.

Unconsciously, Camilla began to pull Hinoka tighter against herself. Her right hand moved to rub her own thigh and hip, hoping to emulate the lost caress. She stopped herself just in time, though, and dropped her hand down to grip the bedding with a sigh.

Hinoka hummed, praising the effort. Her hand settled on the inside of the left thigh once more and pulled. Camilla readily parted her legs wider, then a little more when she didn’t feel Hinoka moving. But Hinoka merely rested her palm there, a warm, solid press against the smooth skin.

Instead of following Camilla’s wish, she propped up a little to kiss Camilla’s left breast, this time right next to the nipple.

“Ah!” she heard the breathless whimper. She closed her lips around the nub, and the sounds turned into moans. She suckled slowly but hard, her tongue sometimes traced, sometimes pressed, stimulating too much yet not enough. Soon Camilla was restless again, her exhales were short and sharp, as if she was barely holding herself back from calling Hinoka. Down below, Hinoka lifted her thumb a little, using the tip to lightly brush the intimate folds of her lover. Barely touching, yet she could already tell the needy throbs of Camilla’s entrance. Hinoka took a deep breath to steady herself while arousal flashed red hot throughout her already heated body. As her index finger gently traced and stroked, the clit responded almost eagerly, becoming very smooth under the fingertip.

Camilla hummed lowly. Deeply erotic. Still gently kissing and suckling the nipple, Hinoka turned up to look. Her finger continued to move attentively, rhythmically; her eyes followed from the flutters of Camilla’s eyelashes to the pink tongue that darted out every so often to wet the lips. Camilla let out a strangled noise as Hinoka began to brush along one side of the clit, a feather-light touch enough to send her back arching. Her hands gripped the bedding, her breaths turned deeper and measured, as if she was trying to reign back and control herself.

A control she promptly lost when Hinoka rubbed in wider circles - still with extra attention to the most sensitive side, but also extending to the small head and the whole length that led downward and inside. Her hip bucked, almost twisting always from the touch, but then twitched in disappointment when Hinoka stopped just before dipping into the wetness that was no doubt pooling richly below.

The reactions returned, again and again, no matter how many times Hinoka repeated her teasing touches. All that changed was the desperation that was lacing thicker in Camilla’s voice. Hinoka would have felt proud if her lust wasn’t trembling in her veins, twisting her breaths into short huffs. She blinked when she realized that she was near moaning as well. Gently, Camilla’s thigh was rubbing between hers, sliding as more and more slick ran wet from Hinoka herself. Her sex was throbbing tightly, constantly, pleading for friction.

A moment more, and she felt Camilla beginning to tense up, trying to gain the last stretch of pressure from Hinoka’s hand. Making sure to keep the touch steady, Hinoka rose a little more and dragged her lips up, mouthing loosely across Camilla’s perspiring chest. No sooner had Camilla let out a surprised whine that Hinoka was suckling at her right nipple, the more sensitive one, standing erect and neglect thus far. Hinoka’s right hand replaced her mouth on the left one, flicking, pinching.  

“Ah- Ah... Darling...” Camilla gasped keenly, crying out for the first time. Her body curved up in a perfect arch, her head threw back in gasping bliss. “Hinoka-!” she shouted, her hip bucked violently as Hinoka’s fingers finally smeared her fluid and rubbed hard and wide around her clit, her urgent pants then muffed into groans as their lips sealed a burning kiss, her body shook uncontrollably under the firm press of Hinoka’s upper body.

Desire twisted inside Hinoka’s stomach, pulling throbs shot like bursts of lighting, so strong her legs were tingling and her nipples ached. “Camilla…. Hah- Camilla, touch me inside soon...” she whispered hoarsely, desperate herself. Camilla let out a sharp cry and threw her head back in response, her whole body writhed in ecstasy once more. One after another, climaxes coursed through her like crashing waves. Her grip on Hinoka’s shoulder and hip were tight, yet she let Hinoka push her over the limit one time after another, never moving to stop the stimulation, until she was whimpering along with the jolts of her hips.

And then-

And then Hinoka felt the world turned upside down, dizzily, heavily. Camilla’s swift push on her right shoulder brook no protest. A knee shoved between her legs, fixed the position and declared domination. The weight of her lover pressed down on her, hotly and _everywhere._ Hinoka moan loudly, the sound rang in her own ears.

Camilla’s breast, hands, legs were still trembling against her, yet already Hinoka was paralyzed with both pleasure and craving. Sweet pants and wet kisses landed on her forehead, her temples, her cheeks. Lilac tresses fell around her like a curtain, wrapping her in a sudden and brilliant return of green mango, fig, and labdanum.

She gasped as Camilla pressed two fingers inside. “Oh you are so open,” Camilla panted raspily, “So _wet._ ” She twisted her fingers to brush the inside of the entrance, barely scratching the surface of a blazing need. Hinoka shuddered and bucked, herself unsure if she was trying to get Camilla to go in already or exert more force _right there_.

“Hnn!” Hinoka’s eyesight blurred as Camilla pushed further in. Deeper and deeper, up and up, so much pressure against her trembling walls, so much desire burning with insatiable hunger. Hinoka let out a long moan. The threads of pleasure started thin but were constantly layering, mounting, spreading, until they seemed to have carried her over the threshold, binding her in agonizing anticipation. Submission would be her only release, but submission would break her body with bliss.

Yet just that moment, Camilla's fingers _moved away._ Left the tightening knot to throb with dissatisfaction. Hinoka sobbed and bowed forward, trying to find her breath, to free the whine that had logged in her throat at the lost climax.

But then she couldn't. Couldn't do anything, as Camilla had pushed in once more, even further, and curled her fingers again. Hinoka threw her head from side to side. If it's that spot, that depth… The mere realization of where Camilla was aiming for had her gasped sharply. Another thrust, and she cried out, her whole body tightened up as pleasure ran all the way down to the tips of her toes, electrifying, overwhelming. She could feel her own slick pouring out against the tips of Camilla’s fingers from just the one touch, could feel with her whole body when Camilla increased the force of her press to make sure the thrills of pleasure from the next taps were steady.

Oh she felt them. She felt them keenly.

Through a veil of blinding stars, her eyes caught the sight of her own hips thrusting along with the firm rocks of Camilla's hand. She couldn't feel what she was doing anymore, nor where she began and ended. Her nerves trembled under the fiery lick of pleasure, still building and claiming as if she had anything left to give.

She wanted to beg, for what she did not know. The next time her mouth opened, it was to scream.

She threw her arms around Camilla’s shoulders, buried her face into her lover’s hair and scent. Her throat was parched, even though she knew not if she had been making any sound. Her eyes were unseeing, her lungs breathless. Dimly, she felt Camilla wrap the other arm around her back and press them tighter together. Only then did she know how her body was convulsing. Only then could she guess of it, for she was drowned in unending pleasure. Everything within and without seemed to have melt away, leaving only resounding sweetness.

Hinoka wondered if she had briefly passed out, as when she could see again, everything before her appeared foreign for a moment. Camilla had pulled her hand out and was pressing it firmly against her entrance, giving a grounding pressure against the hot tucks that were still pulsating inside her.

Hinoka tried to rise up a little, hoping to regain some strength in her arms. “Oh…” She blinked, and would have flushed if she could do so in the present state. The leg that Camilla had kneeled between hers was now drenched from thigh to knee. Feeling Camilla gently pulling, she obediently leaned on her lover's chest and let her limbs be arranged until they were both comfortable. She accepted the offered cup of water, drank it, and gave no comment when Camilla guided her to lay down again.

A shadow fell over her eyes. A thumb wiped away the straying water drop at the corner of her mouth. Hinoka blinked again, this time from contentment and drowsiness.

“Now that you have let me taste this,” Camilla purred. “How am I ever to choose again, between offering and receiving?” Her voice was hoarse as well. Her hands gently moved across Hinoka's body, massaging her confused muscles. Hands that were callused and utterly loving.

“Point is… see a different kind of choice,” Hinoka murmured. Dazedly, she reached out to touch a lock of Camilla’s tousled hair. “Different kind of question, isn’t it?”  She swirled it around her fingers, marveled at its shine and softness.

Camilla petted her head. “Close your eyes for a while more.”

Hinoka only answered with a hum. Just before her eyes slipped shut once more, she thought she heard a little chuckle.

“Thank you, my darling.”

 

*~*~*

\----

It’s not that Camilla would ever stop wondering. Later, even much later, she would still ask why everyone were so obliging, and why the plan often moved forward without needing her to lift a finger. The only change was that her perspective would shift from doubtful to curious, as one after another, her days were colored with more unexpected and delightful surprises from other people. Each time, Camilla would stop and savour the moment, and think about the fact that ‘surprise’ had become a mostly positive word for her. Each time, she smiled at how their new life was allowing her loved ones to change-, no, to heed their hearts.

Like the golden sparkles of sand that finally shine when the sun come out.

Among the firsts of those times, one came not long after the barest outlines of her new life was discussed. It was a mild summer day. Camilla was strolling through long, narrow corridors toward one of the small courtyards of the king's quarter. She seldom visited here - she considered it a deeply private area, for it was one among Xander's few places to get some breathing space.

Earlier that day, though, Xander had mentioned to her that a triplet of perfect roses was blooming on the vine in the corner, probably to reach their peak on the morrow. As far as she could recall, she had never known him to notice flowers on his own before. Never _._ This strange knowledge about her brother’s new growth instilled in her an excitement of almost bizarre proportion to the mere prospect of some roses blooming, and so here she was, making her way to the courtyard specifically for those blossoms.

When she rounded the corner, however, all thoughts about roses flew out of her mind. Her eyes had caught a different shade of red, fiery and familiar. Among the mellow colors of stones and dark vines, Hinoka’s hair seemed to be glowing. Camilla nearly laughed at how her thoughts instantly focused on her lover.

Hinoka was standing on the small balcony outside of the second floor, which was connected to the ground by a double staircase. She was leaning back against the railing and looking toward the glass door leading inside with a mad grin on her face. The moment she spotted Camilla, she turned and frantically beckoned with her hand.  

As soon as Camilla climbed onto the balcony, Hinoka pulled her closer. “Camilla, just in time!” she whispered urgently. “Come and listen!”

“We have been thinking of asking Charlotte to switch her duty with Mozu,” Hinoka explained, but did not say who ‘we’ were, “so that Mozu can stay in Nohr with Flora. Mozu has no objection, of course, as long as you don’t mind.” She paused for a moment to giggle. “We are fully confident that Charlotte would agree as well, but Ryoma has suggested that instead of telling her our idea, Saizo should take this opportunity to… make a definite progress in their relationship.”

Camilla raised her eyebrows in understanding.

“Let me repeat more time, Charlotte.” A low voice flowed out.” I want you to become lady Camilla’s retainer. Come to Hoshido and be my wife.” Camilla thought it sounded entirely composed for a normal person, but quite vexed for the normal of Saizo.

“You are still making no sense!” Charlotte shot back heatedly. “What does your wish have to do with me? Why would I agree to be your wife? And why would I leave His Majesty's service for… for your lame, non-existent reason?”

“It’s clear, as it has been for years now, that no one can understand you as I do,” Saizo grunted lowly. “Your true face. Your deceptive one. I see both and accept both. Be with me, because I want you as you truly are.”

“What’s clear is that you are the opposite of persuasive! What deceptive face…” Charlotte’s voice suddenly spiked. “Wait. Is that what you are implying? How dare you insult my conduct as His Majesty’s retainer!” Her shouts rang in the air. “How dare you! Okay, maybe I was a disgusting fake back before I came into his service. There, I admit to having been disgusted by myself. But I was nothing less than exemplary after His Majesty gave me a chance. I may not have trained since birth to serve him like you did for yours. Still, I have been doing my damn best!”

“What- I'm not insulting you or your master-” Saizo tried to protest.

“You’ve insulted through and through! You speak of understanding me, yet you are blind to the greatest thing life has allowed me. As His Majesty’s retainer, I’m my true and best self, bastard!”

“I know-”

“No, you listen here.” Charlotte cut him off. “No other master can hold a candle to him. A perfect gentleman, an ideal family man, a king among kings. I’ll speak once and for all. No money, no promise of title or position can make me leave him, let alone you conceited smartass!”

 _Bam!_ Ryoma bursted out to the balcony, eyes teary and one hand clamping over his mouth, his large frame shaking with uncontrollable laughter. Xander followed closely behind with a very pinched expression. He swiftly kicked the door shut.

“Oh no no, you need to go back in there, Xander!” Hinoka cried cheerily as Xander rapidly turned pink. “Help them make up! This subject of argument can't resolve itself!”

“On principle, hic, I agree whole-, hic, -heartedly with Charlotte- hic,” Ryoma fought to put a word in.

Xander didn't deign to give either siblings a reply. He came to stand behind Camilla, physically putting her between him and the door. She could feel his breaths lightly brushing by her cheek, as if he was struggling to stop himself from leaning down and hiding his face in her shoulder.

Camilla leaned back to nudge at his chest. “Look at what you’ve done, brother dear. How will I ever live up to her standard now? Me, a run-away princess?”

“Well, how will I ever live up to Mozu’s?” Xander rested his hands on her waist. “She looks at you with stars in her eyes, so let’s not compare or compete.” The exaggerated sigh he let out made her shake even harder from quiet snickers.

“...have seen how you change for the role. How it suits you.” Saizo appeared to have found a chance to speak. “How much better you seem each time we meet again. That’s why I want you- why Lord Ryoma told me- Well, why _I_ told myself that I must ask you. There’s no promise of money or title, just… me.”

A lapse of silence. “Are… Are you finally admitting that you are desperate for me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, woman.”

“You-”

“...But yes, I am.”

“Oh…” Another lapse of silence. “Oh… Heh.”

One moment, then, “What are you wearing that ugly smirk for?” Saizo grunted, sounding both frustrated and guarded.

“You haven’t apologized for your disrespect earlier.” Charlotte’s voice was sweet as honey.

“I said I did not-”

“Am I to reconsider your offer or what?”

“Fine. Fine! Sorry! Whatever!”  

“These two…” Camilla turned sideways and buried her face into Xander’s chest to muffle her sniggers. She clung to his arm with both hands. “Is this partially for fun?” She wheezed. “Are you helping them, hah-haha, in part- in part because you’ve finally understood the fun of poking the royal nose into someone else’ life?” She turned up to grin at him. “Did you learn it from helping me?”

“...Yes, of course I am helping you for my own fun,” Xander replied coolly, but there were twinkles in his eyes. “Work is never ending. You are my only hope. I must try to live vicariously through you whenever I can.”

As she giggled again, he said in a lower voice. “I… I have been wondering if you still worry about making the decision to leave.” He patted her back. “I hope you can rest easy. It has only been two years of peace, yet I feel… Ah, this may sound a little foolish, but I have grown to believe that… that even for people like us, sometimes, sometimes everything does fall into place by itself.”

 _Hmn, brother,_ Camilla grinned even wider and hugged his arm closer. What else could she do, when he gave her such adorable reassurance?

In front of them, Ryoma walked to the glass door. He cleared his throat and lightly knocked. “Are you two kissing? Are you still kissing?” He called. “Can I go in to, hnnn, just to get the tea tray? We don’t mind hanging around out here a little more.”

The response was very delayed, and when came, did not answer his question but the roaring sound that had been filling the space since. “Lady Camilla, I know it’s you! You are laughing way too much!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading ^__^. The song for this chapter was  
> [Beautiful things](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGsL9eK-muw)  
> "Betwixt" was 95% finished before I started posting it so I was able to keep a quick, consistent posting schedule. "Diaries" reflects my real writing speed though, haha… orz.


	4. Season of rememberance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Past, present, future. How many people does it take to raise a child?  
> The day before their wedding, Leo babysat and Takumi thought about work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leo/Takumi R content after ~*~ sign.

Excerpt from “The Romance of Three Kingdoms’, a joined work commissioned by the Nestrian Historical Society.

_People have argued that the Nohrian royals published, that they used alias not only to give opinions on society and politics, but also to recount their tales. There are few evidences for the latter claim, yet many could not help making the relation when they read the suspected text. Amidst a large structure of fabricated events and identities, many of which heavily colored with supernatural elements, there remains a great many details with uncanny similarity to numerous incidents, rumored or confirmed, associated with the reign of King Garon. The perspective was intimate, the tone was bold, blunt, final. Most obvious of all, the argument followed, was that the aforementioned qualities were expressed without fear when King Garon’s inheritors were still well and powerful._

_To study this matter is to thread dangerously between facts and fictions, but such obstacles have not deterred people from diving into investigations and speculations. It is because in these extraordinary fantasies, they have found the most probable window that to an analysis and, perhaps, even reconstruction of the peculiar climate that have shrouded the making of such extraordinary figures as the Nohrian frontrunners._

\----------

Excerpt from “Monologue on A Family”, a work by Mun.

_This happened a year before the First Prince was made Crown Prince, before the Fifth Prince became second to the throne, and before Lyar became the youngest surviving princess._

*

_One day, the First Prince and the Fifth Prince called Lyar to their secret chamber. There, she was surprised to find a visitor - the Third Prince. There, she learnt that her third brother was going to leave. Forever._

_“I must take my mother away, before... before we fully descend into this abyss,” the prince smiled wryly. “If the Lady of Tulip tries anything as drastic as the last time again, I fear that my mother will not stop at defend and evade. To fight is a path of no return, while I am but a craven. For fourteen years she has been strong for my sake, has sacrificed in too many ways to make sure that others would hesitate before making an attempt on my life. I love her and for that I cannot let her try to be stronger. I am terrified of the thought that my mother may pursue higher power. We’ve all seen what the chase does to the other ladies.”_

_While Lyar admired her eldest brother for perseverance and loved her fifth brother for steadfast affection, she had always looked up to her third brother for kindness. Kindness and wisdom, now she had learnt. Her brother had seen this palace for the monster den that it was. He had decided to escape before the human part in him and his mother was devoured. Many people might have accomplished the first part, very few had chosen to follow the second._

_“Go, brother.” So she said. “Tell me what I must do to help. You know you can depend on me.”_

_But the three brothers did not depend on her. They patted her head and said that they had it covered. That although each person here owned their life to another in many ways, to repay debts were the responsibility of grownups. They reasoned that Lyar was only nine, then placated her by saying that they knew she was smart beyond her years - that they only wanted her to know so that she would be aware of any ensuing risks._

_Lyar wished she could argue that she was capable, an equal in the trio with the First and Fifth Princes instead of a child they had taken under their wings. Yet, she knew there were greater traps around to consider. Although the four children in this room loved each other, there could be no true alliance so long as their mothers didn’t join force. In fact, that they had grown close against the explicit wishes of their mothers were incredibly risky. If this was discovered, the consequence could be more than never getting to talk to each other again. Afterall, each lady held a web of connections and interests that could reduce the royal child it protected into a mere puppet if that child turns out to be stupid and stubborn._

_Lyar wished she could leave the palace too. She wished she had the power to sever the chains that bound the First Prince and the Fifth Prince here. The three of them would do well in a world without adults._

_She shoved these thoughts into the well of wishes deep in a corner of her mind, where laid other futile dreams about changing her mother’s way or understanding her father’s. She kept her eyes out for signs of the escape plan moving forward._

_She began to spend more time with the youngest prince Semil and his weak-willed mother. Knowing that her own mother would call her foolish for associating with ‘useless’ people and devaluing herself in the eyes of her followers like this, she insinuated that doing so would please the King. Why, showing herself to be a generous child would help her stand out better. It was already predicted that she would soon surpass her brothers and sisters in intelligence and magical ability, yet she should do more, shouldn’t she? The King liked to be seen as dedicated in subjecting his children to a harsh trial for the throne, but to be praised as a good patriarch would stroke his ego much more, she said. He enjoyed thinking himself a good father, that’s why he often played with the children when they were young._

_Only on the condition that they were lovely and obedient, she did not add._

_“You may be right for once,” her mother snorted. “Isn’t gullible kindness the only reason that Third Prince still holds some favor in the King’s eyes? Take his place, daughter mine. Weaken him further. As for getting rid of him for good… No worry, we won’t have to lift a finger”_

_Lyar kept silent at this. She would keep silent often in the following days while sneering gossips flew around about her new found “golden heart”. They helped stirring up the ladies and distracting them from her brothers. Even then, it appeared that more nasty plans against the Third Prince were being pushed forward._

_Not long later, the Third Prince invited all royal children to his estate in the palace ground for a night of games, the not so hidden reason being that he would like to convene for the preparation of the Queen’s upcoming birthday. The King, pleased by the show of familial love, ordered money and rare wines to be given for the gathering._

_Lyar begged for herself and Semil to be excused, citing a promise about having the latter for a sleepover in her quarter that day. The Lady of Mallow asked for her children to be spared as well, for she was suffering from fatigue and needed their company._

_That night, while the three-year-old was asleep in her bed, Lyar got up and came to the window. She looked up and fixed her eyes on the northern corner of the sky. It was dark and quiet. Then bright. Brighter. Too bright, too blue with magical fire. A thunderous noise suddenly struck, too loud, too inconspicuous for an event meant to provide copious escape time._

_Lyar wanted to crawl under the bed and stop her brain from guessing the situation. Instead, she watched the great fire and listened to the echoes of chaotic cries until the sky turned grey with dawn. On the barrier over the city, a scorch mark remained like a vengeful ghost._

_Over breakfast, Semil’s mother looked at her with both wide-eyed fear and reluctant gratefulness._

_The Lady of Mallow’s children led the investigation force themselves, having been among the first to alert guards of suspicious signs and come to their siblings’ rescue in the middle of the night. Examination of the remains declared the Third Prince and his mother among the victims, but there were whispers that the identifications were not conclusive. No detailed narrative had been put forth, only words of an accident - “fire reacting with sensitive potions”, “safety mechanisms failing”, “careless and unfortunate youngsters”. Of the remaining royal children who had been in the gathering, the First and Fifth Prince were said to have sustained injuries that rendered them temporarily bedridden, the other children were only grazed but had been frightened ill. None could give testimony._

_Lyar still held a lingering hope for the Third Prince, but she could only wait. Her dear brothers denied all visitors. They even avoided face-to-face audiences with the King and Queen._

_Semil and the twins were the only siblings she saw at the funeral._

_It was almost a shock for her, then, to find the whole family present at the Queen’s birthday shortly after. Her eldest brother showed no outward sign of physical weakness other than a light stiffness in his gait. Her fifth brother looked even more fit. Both wore very grim countenance, however, punctuated with bloodshot eyes and deep circles. Their praises and presents to the Queen were most genuine and valuable of all, yet the Queen barely responded. Other princes and princesses did not fare much better, in appearance or in favor._

_An hour into the feast, the long-awaited battle began. The Lady of Tulip lamented about the accident and praised the twins’ effort. The twin responded gracefully. The lady asked about progresses in the investigation. The twin talked about more safety measures for the palace from this incident. The Lady then wondered aloud if this was an accident from start to finish._

_She launched into a long speech, beginning with how her daughter, the Third Princess, was deeply traumatized by the event and had been unable to talk to anyone but her own mother. She claimed that important details had been confided to her, details that could not be waited until her daughter was fit to talk to the investigation team, and had thus taken upon herself to repeat that information. In an increasingly dramatic tone, the lady talked of how the princess was awake for a long time after everyone else had retired to bed. She had not taken alcohol and, like a typical young teen, was still thinking about trivial things when sounds of struggle reached her. Sounds of weapons clashing, spells bursting, and lives taken._

_Next to the lady, Lyar’s third sister meekly nodded along with her mother’s words. When clamor rose among the scandalized crowd and incredulous questions were thrown at her, she answered through whispers that her mother then relayed. The sole person who could make her answer in her own voice was the King, but when the King spoke, he addressed only the twins. He demanded an explanation._

_The twins kneeled down to the floor. They begged for forgiveness, and admitted that they had been suspecting a murder scheme. They were only holding back information to wait for further clues._

_Gasps. Exclaims. People fainting. Lyar watched the faces of the courtiers. Some were terrible at acting shocked; some did not bother to act anymore._

_The King pushed for more revelation. The twin talked of corpses with weapons in hands, of too many victims dressed in ways that obfuscated identification, a few even bore evidences of very sophisticated facial surgeries, suggesting that they belonged to a trained secret force. It was difficult to tell since most evidences were erased by magical fire, but the twin could not rule out the possibility of a brutal murdering attempt, for they were dedicated. They thanked the Fifth Princess for overcoming her fear and speaking up. They pleaded others to consider doing the same._

_It was a beautiful circus act, Lyar had to admit._

_The Lady of Tulip proceeded to make a bigger leap in assumption. She questioned the identity of a force that could orchestra such a powerful assassination (here she finally dropped to exact word to describe what happened), enough to defeat the royal guards at the Third Prince’s estate. The Lady of Mallow, whose sister and brother-in-law enjoyed influence among the royal army and mercenary bands alike, made no direct rebuttal. She reminded the Lady of Tulip that there were others who fitted this kind of wild allegation, such as the Fifth Prince, who counted many distinguished generals among his maternal relatives - people who had practically adopted him after his mother passed away nearly a decade prior._

_The Lady of Tulip conceded with a smile and a bow. It only benefited her if suspicion was extended to more factions in this war._

_The First Princess, the elder of the twin, disclosed with perfect timing that she had another clue herself. When she ran into the raging fire that night, searching for her siblings, she encountered a veiled person dressed in dark grey. She demanded their name and affiliation, they answered by fighting her to escape. The suspect eventually succeeded, but not before receiving an injury to the left shoulder blade._

_As if on the same cue, all eyes zeroed onto the Fifth Prince. Calmly, The Prince turned to the royal physician and raised his eyebrows. The woman did not even lower her eyes in shame; selling information to all interested parties was part of her duties in court, it seemed._

_Lyar almost let out a bitter laugh. How inappropriate yet typical it was for all this to happen in a party instead of a court session. How ridiculous that everyone was taking up their role in this farce like second instinct. Accusers and accused alike were speaking like investigators themselves, and neither the King nor the Queen had mentioned this. None of the respectable courtiers standing around and feigning surprise from one moment to the next had raised this question either._

_With perfect grace and indifference, the Fifth Prince admitted outright that he was indeed injured on the upper left of his back, but it was not from fighting. In fact, he did not know where it came from himself. He was very confused in the commotion and did not realize that he had been hurt until others pointed it out to him._

_The defense was so weak it was no defense. More importantly, the prince was too nonchalant, not just for someone accused of royal assassination but also for someone deeply involved in the race for the throne. Many of his followers did not care what he truly did that night, but most would care that he was appearing willful and reckless._

_As if to make sure that there was never to be a boring moment,_ _however, the Fifth Princess suddenly spoke up. Succinctly, she explained that the Fifth Prince had taken this injury while saving her from the fire. He had run to his siblings’ rooms to check on everyone, she said._

_The whole crowd gasped in open surprise, more at the source of the information than anything. Even Lyar was astonished, her mind rang with questions. Interestingly, she saw the Fifth Princess’s mother clenching her jaw at this development, clearly dissatisfied by her daughter’s interference. Lyar was only five months older than the Fifth Princess, yet they rarely talked. She knew the princess was even more distant to the Fifth Prince than that. Understanding struck her, then, that the girl must have spoken up because the Fifth Prince had truly saved her, though likely from something more determined to kill her than falling debris. She was defying her mother and giving up a chance to ruin a brother in order to repay a debt._

_Her cold expression afterward also showed that there would not be a repeat of this. They were rivals, as ever._

_This sudden turn in narrative was a hiccup in the twins’ plan. Nevertheless, the parade must move forward. The twins surely were not out of sophisticated accusations to throw at the Fifth Prince, but there was another easy prey for them. Now insinuations were being dropped about the First Prince - suggestions that were even more forced, even more far-fetched, yet received the same consideration from everyone present as any plausible argument._

_The Third Princess fed in more details about what she had vaguely seen or heard, rousing wilder guesses among idly spectators._

_The Fifth Princess, upon being asked pointed questions, provided no useful information._

_No one asked the Fifth Prince anything._

_The First Prince answered only questions clearly addressed to him and ignored all provocations. He, too, seemed too upset to care for the vultures circling around._

_His mother, the Queen, continued to sit motionless on her throne, leaving her son to fend for himself._

_Meanwhile, Lyar’s mother was boasting to a courtier about her daughter’s foresight to stay out of the party that night and having an alibi for herself. Lyar, for her part, stared at Semil’s mother. The lady instantly turned green under her gaze. She wondered if the lady would feel compelled to help a little if Lyar herself step up to defend the First Prince now. And who else was ready to talk? Would one of the children who had remained silent thus far suddenly find the courage to speak up about that night? Would they take the opportunity to lift or drown one of the siblings currently bearing the spotlight?_

_Amidst this strange stalemate, a commotion rose at the end of the hall. New gasps broke out. Shrieks echoed about more people fainting. Slowly, the crowd parted for a newcomer - a figure staggering forward step by step, supported by a pale-faced guard._

_This time Lyar cried out in surprise with the crowd. The very next moment, devastating realization hit her. When she stole a glance at her eldest brother, she saw him closing his eyes in pain. It confirmed her greatest fear: the last hope had been broken._

_Before her eyes was the Third Prince’s mother, alone and badly hurt, back in this cage of a palace instead of free. It could only mean that the escape plan had succeeded, but only by half._

_And the freedom was too cruel for a mother to bear._

_Ah, what did the twins think as their people stormed the estate that night and hunted down their brothers and sisters? Did they really not hesitate when they saw how much the Third Prince wanted to leave the war? How he had gathered other siblings around to dissuade these two from risking an attack, how he had arranged to have enough witnesses for his false demise to ensure that he would never be able to return - the only thing he could offer to them? Did they only see a chance to kill more? Must the death of all be their only peace?_

_Some people said they were seeing a ghost. Others exclaimed that this woman could only be an imposter. The Lady of Clover, for that was how she was known, did not pay attention to these noises. She spoke of the fateful night, of_ _criminals who had held so deep a grudge against her son that they must destroy him in a most inhuman show, of the anguish that had rendered her mad and too afraid to show herself to be alive, and then of the guilt toward the innocent victims - the only thing that could drag her out of her sick bed and to the palace this night. She owned everyone the truth._

_With a few sentences, the lady had wiped off the whole chess board._

_There were still people capable of taking advantage of such upheaval, however. “Come closer and let me see your face,” the Queen’s voice rose for the first time. “Come, come here,” she beckoned anxiously, until the lady was standing right before the throne and kneeled down. “Ah, my Lady of Clover. It’s you. It’s really you,” the Queen whispered faintly, cupping the lady’s face in her hands. “My heart feels your pain as it should know a sister’s.” Her lips quivered, her thin arms trembled terribly. “Oh my King. Her pains, her grief! Can you see? Can you see?”_

_It was an incredible sight: two noblewomen, after fifteen years of war and ice, suddenly acting like the closest of kins without any need for a declaration of alliance. The Queen, pale and frail from her long illness, held in her arms the lady with shattered heart and poured out more comfort than her own son had ever received._

_In the face of this, the King’s expression darkened with sorrow, but his voice remained composed. He was a good actor but he considered himself above acting, Lyar thought. He asked the Lady of Clover more questions than had been voiced that whole evening, with more care and scrutinization than any self-proclaimed investigator present had tried._

_The lady, deftly, gave little more information than what she had already told them at the beginning. Tears and the look of distress helped her._

_Watching the Queen and the lady, Lyar was struck with another realization, this time about the purpose of the lady’s sudden return. She was not seeking revenge, not even justice. She had come back to make sure that the First Prince and the Fifth Prince wouldn’t be harmed by false accusations. It was surreal, for she was not the one who had asked for their help in the first place. One could surmise that she was in a hell worse than if she had died along with her son. Yet here she was, stepping into the monster den once again instead of leaving forever, for the sake of the children who had treated her child right._

_Another debt, paid._

_Meanwhile, her tender welcome by the Queen came right after a story that had exonerated all parties present. The First Prince might still be bearing his mother’s ire, but the Queen would not miss a good chance like this._

_At this point, the King declared that the Queen herself would take up the investigation. He might as well have declared that the investigation had ended. It had served its function, which was for him to see how well his children could twist the narration of this event to gain his favor. For the King, there was never a moment of doubt or confusion, only judgment. He was never moved by the show of honor and dishonor spreading before his eyes. There was also never a quest for the truth - it was easy to guess and unnecessary to prove. It did not matter. He was a game master, tending only to his own calculation and, perhaps, entertainment._

_With this, people knew that a narration had been chosen and they were not to question it. Another time of excitement had passed, the war would now return to its usual rhythm._

_Mere days later, the Queen suggested that the First Prince and the twins be given a long mission to the northwest region of the kingdom, among the objectives of which was the eradication of the outlaw gang that had dared to storm the palace. The proposal received unanimous support._

_Lyar was not sure if this was the Queen’s idea of a punishment upon her son, a chance for him to redeem himself to her, or an attempt to protect him before the King could think of a worse order to give. The Queen, her fifth brother had once said, was a match made for the King - in its best and worst meaning. Lyar wondered if other people held the two of them as the exemplars of political clout, as ideals to copy and emulate. Would it ever be possible to show this court that there could be true love in a royal family? Was Lyar herself delusional in believing in the existence of something like that?_

_For the first time, the three eldest children of the King led a mission together. For the first time, the two factions with the longest struggle in the court had a chance to duel: The First Prince was older than the twins by only two weeks; the Queen and the Lady of Mallow had been fighting each other for more than fifteen years._

_People expected fireworks. It was rumored that the King had ordered material to be gathered for the making of protective amulet - his promised gift for each of his children when they turn sixteen. A more discreet rumor said that the King expected he would only need one made this year._

_Yet three months, then four months passed. Positive reports came back one after another. The objectives of the missions were completed. Local governors sang the praises of the princes and princess._

_The King extended the mission, handed down more tasks and made the trio toured more provinces. The court scrambled to propose things to be added to the list._

_The story they wanted, when they got it, was banal like this: ice melt triggered landslide on a tricky mountain pass. The Second Prince was killed instantly, the First Princess fell into coma. The First Prince risked his life to save his sister and retrieve the body of his brother._

_No one believed, but no one cared. Grief filled the capital for three days, then dissipated as swiftly as it had appeared. Lyar, for her part, wondered how hard her brother must have worked to get as much as four months of peace, to stay alive without killing. Were the twin swayed a little by that effort too, to hold off an all-or-nothing attack for so long, until they were reminded of the required brutality of an inheritance war?_

_During the fortnight that it took for the eldest prince to return with what remained of his two siblings, many other news occupied people’s attention. They returned to gossiping about the hostage prince that the King had hidden away in a secret place, about a recently favored minstrel with unplaceable accent and a daughter of her own. The Lady of Tulip did not get to gloat at the Lady of Mallow for long. Slowly but surely, her smile was wiped off by the Fifth Princess’s faction. Soon, even larger disturbances on the power board shook them._

_As the date drew near, Lyar sent a magical magpie to the city gate to watch for her brother’s return. She would take it upon herself to explain to him about the sight that would greet him - a city deep in black and white, buried under an atmosphere too somber to be explained by even the loss of yet another royal child within the year._

_She would be by her brother’s side when he learned that they were mourning the Queen._

\-----------

Leo came into the playroom, turned on the light and increased the heat. He smiled, pleased at the state of the placed. The toys were left exactly where the children had put them at the end of the previous day, but all major surfaces had been cleaned. He laid down on the carpeted floor, face up, hands lacing on his stomach and ankles crossed. With deep breaths, he filled his lungs with the light, cool air and the scent of wood hanging about in the room. As he gazed up at the wooden beams above and took in the rays of sunlight painting over them, concrete thoughts began to disperse in his mind. All was forgotten - the works he had put on hold, the event of the following day, his excitement and anxiety about it-

He heard light voices twittering outside the room.

Grinning, Leo swung his body and jumped to his feet. Not a moment later, the door knob turned. The door creaked open, slowly, very slowly. Leo could see chubby hands pushing it.

“Lheooo!” The boys called as soon as they saw him. “Leoh! Leow!” They stormed the room, babbling and shrieking. Shiro ran toward Leo at full speed, slamming into him and climbing him like a tree. Siegbert followed closely behind, already giggling so hard that his head lolled back and his eyes squeezed shut. Leo quickly pulled Siegbert into his hold in fear of a backward fall for the tiny child.

“My lords, please say ‘Good morning,” the nursemaid said with a wide smile, gently closing the door after having let the young boys try to open it like adults.  

“Gooood murnin!” Siegbert and Shiro started to sing, “Murn murnining… ning ning ninnng!” The ending note was another shriek.

“A very good morning to you too, boys” Leo laughed. As he sat down on the floor, the babies squirmed and danced in his loose hold like a pair of puppies, gracing him with plenty of wet kisses and accidental clothes pulling. Leo gave back as many kisses as he could, until the novelty began to wear off for the boys and they tried to push him lying flat down - potentially to serve as jumping mat.

Leo understood very well the urgency of his situation. “Where are your friends?” He quickly said. “Shiro! Siegy! Is any of your friends here with you?”

Siegbert was immediately distracted. He turned his head around, searching the room. “Moo Moo!” He cried delightedly and ran to the stuffed cow lying on its own stuffed straw bed by the wall. “Sieg moo!” Shiro cheered for his brother. He stood watching and then, in a moment that Leo could tell very clearly, decided upon their activity of the next five minutes. He ran toward the book basket, dug out the picture book on counting, and brought it back to Leo. His eyes gazed up at Leo like bright stars shining from the bottom of deep lakes.

“That’s right, let’s see if we can find Moo Moo in here. Come and sit, Siegy, Shiro!” Leo took the book, which he knew to contain one hundred fifty-seven cows, thirty chickens, and another fifteen apples within its mere twenty pages. He hoped the maker of this book liked cow. Counting to twenty was not a job for light-hearted artist - it would only be fair if whoever had made these illustrations had liberty over the subject being depicted. They did a fantastic job with the drawings too, giving the animals all kinds of poses and expressions using lines that looked so simple. Leo did a cursory job of counting because it was the stated purpose of the book; Shiro and Siegbert happily flipped the pages, whooped cow and chicken noises as they went and made little Moo Moo copy the poses that they liked.

Leo flicked his eyes up when the door clicked shut. The old nursemaid had returned to the room with her tambour kit. “Please say that you and Lord Takumi will consider having children, my lord,” she said while settling down on a chair in the corner. “I am overstepping, but I must tell you so. You will be such great parents; we servants are all dying to see it.”

Leo smiled. “That is alright, I know how you feel.”

*

After peace came, it seemed that their extraordinary streak of luck never ended.

The next incredible thing stemmed from a finding by Lilith. For reasons still unknown to this day, Lilith not only became stronger in Valla but also deeply attuned to the magical forces of this realm. It became a hobby and specialty of hers to wander the old palace ground and investigate what remained of Anankos’s once heaven. Corrin and Azura worried for her safety, especially now that the capital had moved elsewhere and the old palace was left untouched. But Lilith insisted.

One of these mini expeditions led her to an overgrown trail winding up to the middle of a mountain. There, a crack on the rock foundation opened into a spacious cave full of very strange features. It was particularly comfortable for human, more comfortable than almost anything human could design for themselves, with the right amount of warmth, humidity, airflow, even scent and the amount of light. There were the barest necessities for human stay as well, including cots, beddings, and a small stove place. Most peculiar of all, there was an alcove at the end of the chamber, completely plain but topped with a beautiful arch and sky well, both bearing the perfect balanced asymmetry of a natural wonder. On the ground beneath it, lush vines grew from a patch of fertile dirt neatly lined with pebbles. The bright green vines had a layer of fine golden hair and was so healthy they seemed to be glowing from inside.

A dig into the records of Valla, which had been in shambles after decades of negligence, revealed to Lilith a surprise that exceeded all expectations: these magical vines were born by Anankos to grand children to people who were unable to conceive. One of the greatest gifts from the Dragon of Wisdom to its subjects, the vines responded to prayers from couple and individual alike, blooming upon receiving their wishes and fruiting once it had judged them to be sincere and capable. For the most tender months of their life, the child would not get to dwell within the warmth of their mother, would not fall asleep to the lull of her heartbeats and learn the taste of her favorite foods, but the warmth of Valla would hug them and the mountain winds would sing for them. They would not inherit the traits of their parents either, but from all of Vallites. With Anankos’s spiral into madness, the vines lost its link with the dragon’s power and its place in people's memory.

The royals mourned this lost and, once more, pitied the fall of the Dragon.

In a sense, this would have been the end of the story if not for Azura. Leo vividly remembered the day, not long after Camilla’s orphanage in Hoshido began to run more smoothly, when the big family came to Valla for both work and pleasure.

Everyone had cried out in alarm when Azura appeared before them. She looked pale, almost sick _,_ but her eyes were dancing and her smile was the most beautiful Leo had ever seen. Immediately, the siblings had poured questions on her, asking if she had been exerting herself or fallen ill. In that initial confusion, most of Azura’s answers were delighted laughs and amused head shakes. Next to her, Corrin was smiling easily as well, although she turned visibly sheepish when anyone looked at her questioningly.

The pair provided plenty of reassurance but no actual explanation. Instead, with giddy steps and barely concealed excitement, they rushed the group to the cave of the vines.

Where there now laid a small fruit.

“I have always wanted to have children,” Azura jumped straight into the story, “I didn’t realize how dearly I was wishing for one, until Lilith ran to me and spoke of new bloom one day. When I saw the flower… Oh brothers, sisters! I knew, I just knew!”

“But Azura-”

“I thought that if Anankos was no longer here for them, then… then I can try. _I_ will give the power,” she said, eyes shining, “And it took! I could hear the flower whispering to me about my child and what I needed to give! Oh, I can’t ever describe how _right_ it felt whenever we connected. Sometimes it encouraged me to be brave in trying to be a mother and sometimes it interrogated me on my resolve.” She waved her hands excitedly, almost tripping over her own words in her rapture. “Then it fruited! The fruit is still growing daily now! It’s the dragon blood in us, it allows us to give power. Do you get it?”

Leo did. He thought he really did. He could only gape though; understanding was dawning in his mind, but disbelief was filling him faster.

Corrin wrapped an arm around Azura’s back. “She didn’t tell me anything about her discovery or the power she has been giving the vines. I only found out by grilling her when I saw her getting weak.” Seeing the alarmed look on everyone’s face, she turned to Azura while continuing, “Please rest assured, I haven’t completely forgiven her for going into this alone. In fact, I implore all of you to give her a harsher scolding. I’ve tried but I think she is unrepentant.”

“I wanted to wait until I’m sure that the fruit would grow well before telling anyone,” Azura explained.  

“You shouldn’t have. It hurted, you know.” Corrin pouted.

“I do, I do, I’m only talking about my past erroneous self.” Azura nudged Corrin with her hip. “We talked, didn’t we? I let you put your power into the fruit, you are going to be a parent, too.”

“What about talking to us?” Takumi asked with wide eyes, “If not for today, were either of you going to tell us soon?”

“Aiya, brother, I understood Azura’s wish to wait so…” Corrin’s voice turned to the exact innocent tone that Azura was employing a minute prior.

Shaking his head at the pair, Leo stepped toward the fruit. Once he stood before it, he hesitated for a moment before crouching down. The strangeness of its origin and appearance made him feel terribly unsure. The fruit nestled in a bed of crisscrossed vines, and Leo could feel a pleasant heat radiating from the green branches. The fruit’s shape could only be described as resembling a big, round squash. The outer skin looked thick yet slightly translucent, supple and smooth, suggesting an inside packing tight with fluid. In term of color, it was a patchwork of pale earthy tones, looking somewhat dull and ordinary compared to the beautiful vines.

“Uhm, I wonder if we may touch.” Sakura crouched down by his side. She wrapped her arms her knees and stretched out one hand to hover shyly about the fruit.

Then, “Oh,” she exclaimed softly. “Brother, it’s-” In a rare, bold movement, she grabbed Leo’s  hand and pulled it forward, spreading his palm a hair breath away from the skin.

Leo blinked. The fruit was radiating heat itself, warmer than even the vines. Curiouser still, he imagined he could feel a tiny rustle under his hand, too fine for him to tell its nature, like echoes of the heat itself, or electricity caressing the surface of silk, or the shadows of candle light murmuring as they flickered.

It felt delicate and alive.

Struck by a strange inspiration, he used a spell to boost his hearing.

He heard heartbeats.

Four months later, little Shigure was delivered into the arms of Azura and Corrin, every inch a miracle and strikingly resembled both of his parents. Suddenly, family letters became more frequent than ever, always with a large paragraph or two dedicated to their youngest member. Leo was no exception. He tried to keep his tone as dry and sarcastic as ever, but his family understood him too well to miss seeing his strong bias. Takumi made easy jokes about his fascination. He scoffed at it. He denied vehemently. But inside, both of them knew he was guilty as charged.

Almost naturally, the younger siblings began to wonder among themselves if Xander and Ryoma would want their own children. Wasn’t it almost divine providence, this chance for them to have heirs of their own blood? These children would withstand any criticism from the courts, be it in regard to bloodline or the ability to wield the legendary weapons. Elise and Sakura were probably the most outwardly enthusiastic about the notion. Their questions swung between subtly insistent and adorably blunt, and for reason of shyness, were somehow always directed at Leo and Takumi instead of the elder siblings. The indirect pressure stoked the fire in Leo, but he could not open his mouth to voice the question.

Surely, surely Hinoka and Camilla would make the first move, he thought. Yet he never heard from them either.

It wasn’t like Leo could directly ask Xander about the plan for an heir. The idea of asking repulsed him; it made him feel no different from the nobles that haunted his brother’s steps and spread gossips when they were denied the answer they wanted. Sometimes, he had to stop in his track and wonder why he cared so much. It wasn’t that he worried. He fully trusted the foresights of the elder brothers. Why, then, was he so desperate to know that Xander and Ryoma would have children? What business was it of him? He felt ashamed for being a busybody, yet he couldn’t help himself. The vision had an irresistible pull on him, and he came close to nudging at Xander numerous times, but always chickened out at the last moment. He was often apologetic toward Takumi for the stupid rambles that he let out whenever quiet self-torment appeared to be insufficient.

 _Damn it, Leo_.

Finally, in a fit of impatience, he had turned to Ryoma, thinking that the word would come out more easily. “Would you like to have children, Ryoma?” He had asked, feigning innocence with a bored expression and a casual question over tea.

When Ryoma turned his bright gaze to him, Leo felt his spine tingle. Even as Ryoma’s expression remained mild and cheery, innocent and casual himself, Leo felt like he had misstepped.

“Ah, I think about it,” Ryoma said simply. He reclined in his chair, fully comfortable in the poise of someone who had thought about this more than anyone else could ever imagine.

In that very moment, Leo understood that in this matter, Ryoma and Xander would always speak as one. Until then, others were to wait.

It was nearly two years later when the couple told their siblings of a flower blooming from their wish.

*

“It is truly precious, milord, how you dote on them. I can only imagine the work you still have left for the wedding tomorrow.”

“You should know that Prince Takumi and I have been trying to minimize our involvement in the wedding planning as much as possible,” Leo chuckled. “There is this wonder maker that we entrust everything to. You may know her. She goes by the name Oboro.”

“You jest, milord,” the nursemaid giggled.  “She is a legend among us servants.”

Leo hummed. With the vision of an artisan and the discipline of a general, Oboro was the perfect person to plan their wedding. Not that it truly needed planning, what with Leo and Takumi’s incredibly lax requests for what should happen. But when Oboro begged them to give her the role, of course they agreed. Their mistake might have been in encouraging her to go after any idea she wanted. In the zeal of it, she almost worked herself to exhaustion before they put a stop to it.

Next to him, Shiro suddenly let out a sharp whine, his face scrunched up in misery. Before Leo could freak out, however, Siegbert had started to giggle happily. As Shiro threw himself onto the floor and wailed, eyes squeezed shut, Siegbert bursted out laughing even harder. It was then that Shiro slightly opened his eyes to peek, his face broke into one big toothless grin at the sight of his brother’s glee.

“What on earth,” Leo muttered in amazement as one child tried to invent more dramatic states of agony for the entertainment of the other. He heard the nursemaid choking up on her own laughter behind him. “Their logic, milord!” she hiccupped, “Oh their logic!”

“There is one, apparently. But I must say,” Leo said, shaking his head. “Absurd as these moments are, they make more sense than a great number of things that I have seen in court.”

“You must be joking again, milord. I may not know what goes on when the lords and ladies work, but I know grand accomplishments are being made every day.”

Leo knew he would not be able to convince her of his view, so he let the topic pass. Leaning back on both hands, he closed his eyes. His words might have been exaggerated, but it was because his perspective was skewed - he was fully aware of this and was uninclined to correct himself. He could not help it. Whenever he thought of his three nephews, bright light seemed to flood his heart.

He had tasted this sense of wonder elsewhere, such as each time he thought back of how incredible his relationship with the Hoshidan court had become, or how well progresses were being made for his countrymen. But none could feel as magical as the mere presence of the children. The short time they had been here was enough to offset the dragging pessimism that had accumulated within him in all the years that he had lived. In the grand scheme of things, those years of suffering and survival, of constant struggle to be better and doubting one’s own moral suddenly became a mere prelude to the life that was only starting now. It should be terribly unfair to reduce so much lost and gain into something so trite. It would practically be mistreating history, he knew that, but his heart was strongly tempted to go along. He was fully aware that in everything he did these days, a part of him made decisions based on how much it would serve the children’s future.

In fact, there had been an overhaul of priorities for everyone around him as well.

When news about the two princes were first announced, the case was presented as a mutual adoption by Nohr and Hoshido. Wide speculations immediately began to fly. Ryoma and Xander never gave out any exact detail about how Shiro and Siegbert came into the world. Everything boiled down to the word miracle with them - a manifestation that signified the era of union for the two kingdoms. The royal siblings, without as much privilege to hide behind, allowed themselves to be interrogated by curious nobles and made it a contest to invent more thrilling stories each time. The story that she vaguely heard from the kings, Hinoka would say, involved highly insistent storks that knocked on their windows all night long, one night to the next, until they accepted the babies as sons and agreed to raise them to be princes of both kingdoms. The terms and conditions that came in the baby basket was a thick book itself, she elaborated. Camilla made the boys come from a different type of summer squash in each of her recount, and said that the kings were guided by their dreams to climb dangerous cliffs to reach the squash vines. Takumi settled on a story about the twins floating to them on a Victoria leaf. Sakura and Elise, on the other hand, loved to say that their nephews were found in beautiful teacups. The princesses also loved to claim that they still keep the teacups with them, and pulled out a different pair from their teacup collection every chance they could.

Leo, being both indolent and devious, opted for secondary citing. “Oh, I heard this first from Princess Camilla..”, “I know, I know, Princess Hinoka talked about that too”, et cetera et cetera. Really, he couldn’t be bothered with entertaining any pryer.

Nasty rumors sprung up by the bunch practically every morning, but they quickly died from the lack of evidence (and with the public trials of a few loud-mouthed fabulists). Besides, people were soon distracted by far more puzzling progresses.

When the kings spoke nothing of putting the princes in line for the throne, people took it for granted. All assumed that these titles were symbolic, like Princess Camilla’s second title in Hoshido, and they would have protested if it was any different. But they also began to have serious doubts when both royal families radically changed their lifestyle to accommodate the children. Both princes spent their first four months in Hoshido. After which, they were brought to Nohr, accompanied not only by nursemaids but also Princess Sakura, who stayed for a whole month to make sure that her nephews would have someone familiar during the transition period and that their routine would stay undisturbed. Another four months, and this time Prince Leo returned with them to Shirasagi Castle. The process repeated like clockwork, the children went between the homes and their fathers, the aunts and uncles happily switched around for extended periods. In additional to this, the two kings visited each other practically every ten days or so, sometimes without bothering to give a work purpose. Considering that the royal families were filled with workaholics, the effort they put into arranging these trips was a testament to how much they valued shared time with the princes. The care given to Shiro and Siegbert was truly beyond any that had ever been showered on a prince or princess.

This was not to mention that as each day passed, the boys were looking more and more like their fathers, from the direction of the little hair locks that stuck up on their heads down to the very way they sneezed.  

Baffling, absolutely baffling.

Some observant people had tried to hint at a connection between this and how the young prince of Valla was born. Alas, their hypotheses never gained enough ground to become popular, for other people still thought of Valla as somewhere exotic and unrelatable. Furthermore, few would believe such an outlandish story even if the royals themselves admitted to doing so - there were many qualities that people would expect to associate with kings, like being just or foolish, peaceful or aggressive, extravagant or promiscuous, even having a fling with each other (if one stretched their imagination), but somehow that long list failed to contain ‘strategically making a cross-border domestic nest with another reigning monarch’.

This made Leo's heart twisted with contradicting feelings. On the one hand, he should rejoice that people were so mystified, they accepted their new princes without much problem. They would certainly continue to pester the kings about getting married, but there would be no true threat directed at the boys.

On the other, he was often nagged by the wish to flaunt the truth in their faces, to make them look until they have to marvel at the bliss of this family. Ryoma and Xander might never get the chance to officiate their love. It would also take them many years to prepare for the right moment to make Shiro and Siegbert their heirs, if that moment would ever come. It frustrated Leo, all this planning and waiting. He knew that it bothered everyone in the family as well, the fear that the truth would have to wait too long and the boys would be hurt, by others or themselves. What if they come to believe that something about them was being hidden away like some type of dirty secret?

Not for the first time, Leo saw the vast difference in his ability to stay composed when it came to matters of the family versus the state. The only thing he could do was to remind himself that at least things were far from the worst they could be.

*

On a quiet snowy night, not long after the white bloom became a fruit, Xander knocked on Leo’s door.

It made him stare for a moment, the sight of Xander sitting down in his armchair, a bottle and two glasses in hand. “You are scaring me and I don’t even know why,” he blurted out.

Xander only inclined his head. “Please have a seat. I’m sorry for interrupting your reading time. I didn’t know when would be a better time for this small talk, but I’ve already owned you much in having held it off this long.”

Leo abandoned the words of query on his tongue. “Hearing the word ‘small talk’ coming from you is even scarier,” he sank back into his chair and reached for the sherry bottle. “If you are here, then don’t hold back. I’m at your mercy.”

“There’s no need for such a sense of doom, I promise,” Xander smiled faintly.

He did not provide any immediate elaboration. They drank in silence for few minutes. Leo, with his low tolerance, spent most of this short interval letting his mind drifting away and urging the tension from the surprise to drain from his body. He had gotten as far as leaning his head on the backrest again, and was thinking of pulling the small pillow from behind his back into his lap for hugging, when Xander finally said: “I know Ryoma and I have been tightlipped about our preparation for the conception of our child. When we finally made the announcement, you and everyone else all accepted it easily and readily.”  His eyes stared into Leo’s. “You have been graceful and understanding in waiting for an explanation. We are immensely grateful to you for that.”

 _What a way to begin._ “There-” Leo gulped, “I assume there is a reason why you are explaining things to us individually.”

Xander briefly lowered his gaze. “With you, I must start from the war of our younger years.” Each word was slow. “Leo, I am sure that you yourself have drawn many conclusions about that time, just like Camilla and I have.”

Leo shivered. Only Xander’s calm expression was keeping him from spiraling into panic. As most of his thoughts halted in their tracks, a strange idea surfaced, noting to him that if this was some five years earlier, Xander would be looking all grim and sorry while talking about this topic, and Leo himself would be driven to bolt out of the room as soon as possible. With Takumi, Corrin, even Elise, he could speak about the Concubine War in great details and perfect analyses. To them, he could assume to role of the historian, the teacher, the philosopher. Whenever Xander or Camilla was present in the conversation, however, he could never find his tongue. It was as if a thin cover had been snatched off his deepest memories, revealing the raw edges and rendering him a bewildered child again. Some sentiments simply scared him witless.

But this was something else. Xander did not seem to be here tonight for reminiscence.

“In my memory, I could never shake away the feeling that you were small and unknowing.” Xander slowly turned the glass between his large fingers. “Yet surely you felt and understood everything; it was evidence in the words, the silence, and the sacrifices that you have made for Camilla and I on too many occasions to count. As elder siblings, we have often felt that we must do something for you for the sake of closure. But we are cowards, too.” His eyes flicked up to meet Leo’s. “Now this conversation has become so old it’s almost stale, and it is still a conversation that we don’t know how to have. You have been left to resolve things by yourself. We are ashamed, though please don’t mistake that we are not proud and thankful of how you have overcome these memories, especially in the stories that you have told Elise and other people.”

“I just filter and compress everything, brother. Stories are easy.” The words came out more readily than Leo expected. “It is easy, trying to explain the madness that we have gone through by interpreting those people as instruments of their circumstances. Reasoning with causes and effects always makes for convenient persuasion. The approach is not perfect, but I don’t care.” Leo said bluntly. “I made those stories firstly for myself because I wanted to wrap things up neatly.” These were words that he had held in his chest for a long time, he realized, words that had been accumulated and reshaped through years of thinking. Every time he pulled up strings of memory to weave a better analysis for what had happened, Leo also understood more about himself - about his instinct to seek patterns among chaos and his longing to attribute a logical reason to the extraordinary violence that he had lived. He saw his own biases and accepted them.

Xander let silence be his response. Finally, gently, he proffered a hand. Leo stared at it for a moment, unsure of what to expect, until it reached out and plucked the empty glass out of his fingers.

Leo did not think that he was really shaking, but he accepted the show of care without fuss.

“When I was making up my versions for those stories, also with my own full set of biases,” Xander said, “I often asked myself why the Concubine War was so dreadful. It wasn’t simply bloody and dishonorable. It involved so many noble families and went on for so long. Worse of all, I am certain now that people took it for granted. As perpetuators, they thought it fully justified. Inevitable. Commonplace. I think that was why news of the war never spread far from the capital. Else, if people were instruments of their circumstances like you said, then where should we begin to prevent it from happening again? Surely the motives, the personal ‘circumstances’ alone, did not make up the root of the problem. To protect their children or themselves, to stay relevant and comfortable, to benefit their families and allies… even including the fact that our father enjoyed pitching the factions against each other, I don’t believe that all these desires combined could warrant either the war or the scale that it actually reached. It simply could not happen without the belief that power is the ultimate justification of all.”

Xander’s eyes were very dark. His gaze was scorching, its heat reached into Leo’s chest and seized his heart. “All victors are exonerated. This whole castle believed that, from king to maid. That’s how maidens became spymasters and children became murderers. Has the historian in you come to the same thought?”

Leo gripped the armrest, feeling like rose thorns were trying to pass down his throat _. What answer am I supposed to give to that? What are you getting at?_  His brother kept staring. “Yes,” he gritted out.

Xander lapsed into silence once more.

Leo tried to breathe.

 _If we are to pull the truth out tonight, wriggling and alive like the worm that it is, I would rather you didn’t try to use such civilized words to describe it,_ he thought. _The royal court of that time was addicted on its own poison, its cogs ran to turn men into beasts. For the ladies that entered and the children that were born within it, choices were mere illusions. You made use of your darkest impulses or you died._

“What would you think,” Xander’s voice was low, “If I tell you that in my rearrangements of our court in recent time, there has been deliberate actions to dismiss people who might advocate the same mindset?”

This time, it was Leo who stared. “Actions, at what level?” For them, rearrangement could mean anything from a close investigation, a change in duty, to an outright purge. Leo had found no dispute with the reasons that his brother had given out for any recent personnel change, but to know that there was _more reason_ was still like finding out that the truth had another half.

“All of them.”

“Did you really?”

“What do you think of me now, a ruler who use his power like this?” Xander kept asking.

Leo didn’t think about that. “Ryoma too?”

Xander sighed and nodded. “His courtiers pose a tamer kind of threat, but they require more time and effort to be persuaded. He has been working hard too.” Pouring more wine for both of them, he smiled mockingly. “I can afford the reputation of a tyrant, but I would rather Ryoma does not.”

“Just why did you keep this from us? What care would we have about how you use power?” Leo cried, his own words rang in his ear. “Couldn’t we do something to help? That was an enormous amount of work!”

Xander looked like he did not expect this reaction. For a moment, he opened his mouth, seemingly ready to continue his previous string of self-deprecating inquiry. Then something seemed to change. He leaned forward and propped both elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together; the apparent weight on his shoulders made Leo instantly deflated. “This might be difficult to take in at first, so please be patient as you think about it.”  His spoke with care. “On the Nohrian side, I planned and worked on this matter by myself. Ryoma has been dealing with his courtiers on his own as well. The idea was that... we didn’t want the courts to be able to tell how much you all really support us. Our family give each other unconditional support in almost everything - this may sound a little arrogant, but it is largely true. Still, those not close to us do not know that. More likely, it is inconceivable to them that such relationship can exist in a royal family. A Nohrian royal family, to be specific.”

Leo blinked, memories suddenly rising in his mind, blinding and red hot like lava lapping over cracked earth. “You don’t mean…” he said, too small, almost afraid to learn that he had understood right.

Xander’s voice remained even. “As we stay adamant about our choices, people will turn outward with their questions. If they have good intention, they will seek you for independent opinions. Hopefully you will be able to reassure them. If they harbor impure motives-”

“We will know immediately when they try to rouse us to overthrow you; they will come to us first because we would be the most convenient choice for a master,” Leo finished the sentence for him. “First-” he choked on his own hurried words, coughing raspily for a second, “First, a disgruntled sibling; next, a usurper.”

“Leo-”

“I’m right, am I not?” he cut Xander off. “This isn’t something difficult to take in; you didn’t have to prep me like that. I am perfectly capable of remembering lessons from our past.” He made a curt wave with his hand. “Even if you had not told me, I should have guessed that something was up. I would be the prime candidate for those kinds of ploy, after all.” And he would have liked to have more time to prepare himself to serve as the guard, the spy, the distraction for Xander.

Not that he was sure he could play the role of a two-face again.

“It isn't all like that, Leo,” Xander said. “Part of the reason I did not tell you was so that you wouldn't jump to war thoughts. This extra precaution-”

“I know, I know,” Leo cut him off again, though he did not actually know what Xander was going to say. His mind was racing far too fast. He stared blankly at the tapestry on the opposite wall for a moment, one depicting a family of deer at play, gifted to him by Camilla and her children in celebration of this past New Year. “It’s only that I’ve just realized… For a while, I have forgotten about the devious stratagems that we once had to use in fighting against the court.” _Buried their memories, basically._ “I failed to draw the parallel between the risks of our current situation and that time. I got carried away by our successes in rebuilding Nohr and have made premature assumptions about people’s approval of our….moral qualification to rule.”

Because all disputes that arose from the topic of inheritance came back to this one root: the standard of morality, that which was malleable on the tongue of preachers and easily exploited to incite public outcry. No matter how much wealth and stability a ruler brought to their subjects, moral accusations could still bring them down as soon as the crowd felt the charges justified. More than anything, Ryoma and Xander’s plan for their sons bore incredible risks on this front.

Leo sighed. This was why the siblings hid their closeness some ten years ago - so that they could secretly serve as each other's cushion when necessary. What about now? Would common senses not dictate that a tightly-knit family make for strong and effective ruling? But Nohr had long followed a twisted game of politics. Her court had imprisoned itself in a space where all senses of normalcy and decency were distorted.

And most of all, it was devoid of trust.  

He doubted Ryoma’s court was like this. But then, Hoshido’s past stability might have reinforced an orthodox view with narrow tolerance for exceptions. He had not forgotten Ryoma’s story of how Queen Mikoto stayed on the throne. Ryoma would be swimming against the current when the news got out as well.

“Like I said,” Xander repeated. “This is an extra precaution. Don’t talk like you have failed for believing that life is much better now.” It looked like he had been waiting for Leo to calm down. His expression eased, the hint of a smile returned to the corners of his eye, though it was still full of self-mockery. “It is ‘extra’ because I think a part of it is rooted in my own paranoia.”

This drew Leo’s attention.

“Everyone has come so far compared to before, Leo. The two courts, our peoples, ourselves. We are all moving forward very quickly and we are moving together. Many of my angry questions about the past have gradually come to rest. I know that the joy of the present is real, I look to the future with nothing but bright hope.” Xander played with the wooden beads on his left wrist. “Yet when Ryoma and I started talking about building a family... ah, how things came rushing back. I would like to think that I am too cautious, but fear has its own reason and I can’t bring myself to ignore it. This is the only way for me to feel some confidence. To bring a child into this world is so selfish an act, brother. Considering how we will never be able to give them the time we want to give, considering the pressure that will ultimately be placed upon their shoulders, we have every reason to fear that we are inadequate to be parents.”

“At the same time, we know that if we are ever granted the privilege, we must not think of fear. For the sake of our child, there can be no place for such insecurity.  Even though we know we will make mistakes, even though we will always doubt ourselves, we will always have to be ready to do what others can’t do and won’t do. Our responsibility to the child is forever binding, we will have no right to give up.”

“I see,” Leo could only say. He was suddenly overwhelmed by an understanding of what Xander and Ryoma were going through. Just the barest, most imperfect understanding, yet one that was enough to wrap him in a whirlwind of apprehension, desire, and also audacity.

“We tried to make fair judgment with regards to the courtiers and the noble families,” Xander explained once again. “We were sure you, Hinoka, and Takumi would have noticed otherwise, but there’s no denying that we had personal agenda.”

Leo lightly shook his head. He did not need more reassurance on that front. His mind was filled with thoughts about the little fruit now sleeping in Valla and the hearts that longed for it, his own included. He was completely right, he realized, when he thought that Xander and Ryoma should have children. They would make a perfect family.

He had always wanted to see one like that.

“You two won’t try to raise them up by yourself, will you? I’m sure you wouldn’t dare to be so arrogant,” he finally said, sulking a little.

Xander chuckled. The first true one he had given this evening. “We would beg you all to join in.”

“I will give you a month or two to test the reaction of the court, but don’t count on me hiding my affection afterward.” Leo shrugged. “You’ve talked to Camilla, I presume?”

“It was her suggestion that I bring the sherry tonight,” Xander smiled. The delight was fleeting, however, and his voice lowered again. “Did you know? Camilla told me that she will only have a child if Hinoka speaks of wanting one first.”

Leo closed his eyes. How annoying, how devastating it was, the past.

Tonight, though, let him only appreciate. Under the still rapid beats of his heart, a gentle warmth was flowing through, calming him down. In a twisted yet somehow natural way, he felt relieved after hearing Xander talk about his own weakness.

“You really want children, don’t you,” he said softly.

Xander let out a laugh at this. A heavy sound. Ragged, sharp. Then silence. Finally, he heaved a long sigh, leaned back fully in his chair, and sagged.

“So much, Leo. So much that it hurts,” he said, covering his face with both hands

*

In the end, their blessings came in pairs, and the relatively smooth beginning of the children’s life in both capitals filled the adults with tentative hope. _A scary amount of hope,_ Leo thought.

Someone knocked on the playroom door in rhythm.

Leo’s face split into a grin. He poked at his nephews to get their attention. “Did you hear that?” He pointed at the door.

The two boys turned to look. The knocks sounded again. “Knock knock!” Came a sing-song voice.

“Who’s there?” Leo whispered. “Who do you think is there? Siegy, Shiro?”

“Knock knock knock,” the voice sang again. “Is anyone home?”

“Elis! Elise!!!” Siegy babbled, running toward the door and putting both of his hands on it. He looked up at the door knob, then turned back to Leo with expectant eyes. Shiro immediately started pulling at his uncle.

Leo was unmoved. “It'll be crowded if we all stand there. You should invite your aunt to come in instead.”

Shiro seriously _frowned_ at that for a moment, making Leo almost burst out laughing. Finally, the child patted to Siegbiert’s side and, holding his brother’s hand and stepping back, chirped like a bird: “Aunty!”

The door creaked open, swinging slowly until Elise could pop her head in. “Hello, my little hedgehogs!” She was greeted by a great bound of giggles. By the time she had fully stepped into the room, she had gained four clutching hands on both sides of her dress. The children bounced on their feet like a pair of happy crickets.

Then they realized who else were at the door.

“Da!” Siegbert let out a cry at the sight of Ryoma, probably the only occasion he would be louder than his brother. “Dada!” “Daddy!” Neither children were expecting to see both of their fathers in the same place for another week. For one moment, they stared up at the tall figures with eyes like saucers. In the next, they scrambled over, hugging their fathers’ legs dearly. Shiro jumped up and wrapped both arms around Xander's right knee, his face turned up toward his fathers with a blinding grin, his small shoulders shook with the strings of giggle. Siegbert, with the sweetest of smiles, just pressed his face against Ryoma's pants.

Ryoma and Xander reached down to pat their sons’ heads. Leo chuckled as he watched Ryoma. There was always a moment of visible hesitation in his movement at times like this, like he did not know whether to stand still and bask in the affection or crouch down and sweep his son into a tight embrace.

“I will be next door, milords and lady,” the nursemaid whispered. Leo and Elise nodded and sent her a grateful smile.

As soon as the babes were in their fathers’ arms, they were the most docile of creatures, at least for a few minutes. The four of them sat down on the floor. “Did I not promise you that I would come back in three days?” Ryoma kissed one soft cheek. “Did you forget?”

“Umm,” Siegbert buried his face into the crook of his father's neck.

“Shall I stay here for the whole of next week?”

“Please,” came a mousey voice.

Shiro pursed his lips and turned to face Xander with hopeful eyes. “We will both be here this week for Uncle Leo’s wedding,” Xander said. “We will have a special celebration, like we did for yours and Siegy’s birthday.” As the child let out a happy noise and jumped up and down on his lap, Xander supported the small body with his hands. There was a sense of quiet reverence in his expression, one that Leo had known since he was young but did not fully understood until he saw it directed at his dear nephews.

Having released the parents to the babies, Elise patted over to Leo and lay down, in a position not different from what he had done half an hour earlier. She pulled out from her purse a tiny woven bamboo box. When she opened it, Leo saw a loose layer of lining paper, wrapping around perfectly plump honeyberries. He immediately stuck out one palm.

She dropped a fruit onto it. “I saved the pretty ones for Azura, Corrin, and Shigure.”

“Poor Marx and their young bushes,” Leo remarked as they ate. “We picked all the fruits for this wedding. And it has only been three years since we laid waste to them with Camilla and Hinoka's.”

“It's because your ceremony is so simple! There's nothing else to prepare other than foods.” Elise seized onto the topic. “Oboro have awesome ideas, but in the end all we are going to do boil down to eating and hanging around with each other. I love games but this is too much like a picnic! What about a beautiful venue? No one is going to dress up like in a fairy tale if the scenery won’t match.”

“Considering the fashion taste these days, fancy clothes will just make people go stiff and formal. What would you like better, more sitting down looking at some dresses and wigs or more time for dances and games?” Leo bobbed her nose. “Remember the last time we attended an extravagant ceremony? It took you and I but twenty minutes to run out of people to discuss and fall asleep. We drooled _on each other_ for the remaining hour and a half. Mozu still giggles whenever she sees us sitting side by side.”

“I knoooow,” Elise let out a long sigh. “I’m just being whiny. It is still so difficult to find people who understand that dressing up is for the sake of having fun while running around.” She rewarded him with more berries for the good argument.

A few steps from them, Shiro and Siegbert had climbed down from their fathers and were going around to gather Moo Moo and the counting book, clearly planning to show Ryoma and Xander the fun they had had with Leo earlier. Elise and Leo distracted them a couple of times on their path with berries.

“I was hoping to find Takumi here with you,” Elise continued.

“He will be back after lunch. He originally planned to be here by mid-morning, but that would have meant riding out at midnight. I told him to take his time instead.”

“See? The problem is that you both miss the root of the problem!” His sister cried. “Why is he away till the day before his wedding? When did he start to travel so much? He’s always away when I thought there’d be a chance for us to play.”

“Come on, that’s just your bad luck,” Leo laughed. “I know you miss him because he is so busy nowadays, but this work really suits him. Going out and working among the folks are much better for him than sitting in the capitals to argue conceptual things. Besides, he makes it up to you. You’ve said yourself that his souvenirs are the best.”

“Urg, that’s because yours are so repetitive and uninteresting. And your stories are no way as exciting as his either,” Elise pouted. “You should switch with him more, Leo. Don’t just stay in the palace and let him do all the leg work.”

“Hey now, why do you speak like I’m less useful?” Leo protested. “Who else would go around greasing the wheels here? Who do you think is making sure that Takumi can get the people and resources he wants?” Inside, though, he chuckled at how swiftly the subject of her frustration had shifted to him. He knew that she was neither blaming him nor Takumi, nor anything for that matter. Elise had finally reached that stage of her life where she itched to go out and make her own path in the world. She needed a lot of stimulation. For now, she might think that people around her were moving too fast for her liking. Soon, she would realize that it was because the framework of life and work that her brothers and sisters had built up for her so far was not enough, that she wanted more decisions and actions of her own. In a couple of years, it would be her who would be leaving the elders in the dust.

Elise stuck out her tongue. “I need to have a word with him. He’s going to miss all of Siegy and Shiro’s milestones like this. Games and cakes won’t be able to soothe him at those loses, he must know that.”

“Ouch, Elise, that’s a soft spot for us, you know.” Ryoma jokingly interjected across from them.

“Ah, but it’s very real,” Leo said, suddenly remembering something crucial. “Just a few days and you’ve already missed some, Ryoma. The boys have mastered quite a number of new words.”

Xander huffed out a laugh, obviously having realized where this was going. “That’s right, what are your new favourite words?” He asked his sons. The enthusiasm made Ryoma raise his eyebrows.

Leo prompted. “Berries!”

“Beries!” Shiro and Siegbert immediately recognized the game.

“Sponge!”

“Spunge!”

“Banana cake!”

“Banananaca!”

“Why are these all foods?!” Ryoma cried.

“Potty!”

“Pootie!”

“Poop!”

“Poo pooo!”

“From mouth to butt,” Ryoma guffawed, “Now now, Leo-”

“And the heart too!” Leo grinned. “Shiro, Siegbert, say… I love you!”

“I luff yuuw!!!” The kids chorused.

\--------

~*~*~

When Takumi came back to their room, he found that the air carried the familiar sweetness of apple blossom and afternoon light was gently filtering in through the window. Everything made him want to dive into bed, where he knew he would be wrapped in Leo’s scent. He needs to be clean more, however, so he bathed and wrapped himself in the soft bathrobe instead.

He sank into one of the armchairs afterward. Unlike those that Leo kept in his reception room, these two were big, soft chairs that defied all contemporary Nohrian standards about ‘royal, imposing’ furniture. They had a generous seat, their backs curved at the most comfortable angles, and their armrests were of the best height for any activity. Their whole body was cushioned to make the ideal place for all kinds of lounging positions, many of which involved a grown man draping over various parts of the chair while reading a thick book.

In his ugly and perfect chair, Takumi spent a short while staring into blank space, feeling marvelously content. Then, as he turned his head, he caught sight of a small bowl on the side table. He chuckled upon seeing the bowl filled with ground herbs and salt, clearly set out already measured and ready for use. Quickly, he sat up and looked around the side of the chair. As predicted, there was a small basin filled with water.

Takumi grinned and dragged the basin in front of the chair. He activated the heating spell, then poured the bowl’s content into it. The moment his abused feet sank into the foot bath, he let out a low groan of appreciation. Leo knew just the right way to welcome him back.

He turned to examine the side desk again. There was another small bowl of roasted nuts, which he emptied within seconds. He saw that the pile of books on the desk had experienced some changes in order but not in the titles. There were a couple of paper scrolls, their loosen ties lay haphazardly around, together with some colored pencils and envelops that had been written all over as scrapping papers. These were usually the clearest sign of Takumi’s absence from the place, for he would never let Leo be this untidy in their shared space.

Then he saw the window sill.

“Again, Leo?” Takumi laughed as he pulled out a scroll from behind the small pot of purple shamrock. The years together had revealed to Takumi that Leo possessed the ability to leave a trail of paper all over his living quarter, often in the strangest locations imaginable. They had had numerous talks about this, and Takumi never failed to be surprised whenever a new one turned up.

The scroll unrolled into several papers, seemingly to be different revisions of one document. There were also a few thin sheets of dated note papers within, all filled with words and sketches in pencil. Some of the words on those notes immediately stood out to Takumi. ‘Revision 1: They’ve made it worse, Sakura!’ Leo’s writing looked quite hysteric itself, especially with the red pencil that he used.

‘Revision 1: I’m so sorry that they are like this, Leo.” Replied Sakura on the next line. “Let me work with them. You should rest for this round.’

His sister’s delicate writing was someone less neat on the next comment. ‘Revision 2: I have explained things to them and they have changed most of the items that you have marked. They added a new passage, though, and I can’t really understand its purpose or where they came from when they wrote it. ‘

‘Revision 2: Oh gods, I can guess their reasonings. These stupid, shallow coconut skulls!’ Leo’s words all leaned forward like a row of charging soldier.

‘I’ll handle this.” He added below in ink, obviously as an afterthought.

Then another one, this time in pencil again. ‘Revision 3: I give up. This was the best I could do. I hope you are more inspired.’

‘Revision 4: How about this?’ Sakura wrote.

‘Revision 4: You are my savior.’ Leo underlined the comment twice.

But the exchange did not end there. It went on much longer, circling through the same ups and downs a couple more times. Takumi’s eyebrows rose as subsequent comments between Sakura and Leo became more colorful. Soon his sister was ending her sentences with a reckless number of exclamation marks, while Leo had to resort to writing in bold, capitalized, underlined characters to express the depth of his emotions. When Takumi looked at the actual revisions themselves, he saw that they were crisscrossed with lines and comments. There was no separating Leo’s remarks from Sakura’s on this, for the strokes of red on the pages all seemed to be trembling with rage and desperation.

Takumi chuckled wryly. On the one hand, the show of drama amused him immensely. On the other, he really wanted to read the documents to see what was going on, yet knew that he had no energy left for that. Unlike Sakura and Leo, he had only one duty, but it was a major one that fully commanded his time and attention: the tunnel connecting Nohr and Hoshido under the mountain range.

Dropping the papers onto his stomach, Takumi slouched in the armchair and whistled a short tune.

If someone had asked him how he had arrived at this stage, he would not know how to explain. As the new reigns began, new problems were identified, new plans were put forth, the ranks were adjusted and duties were redefined. These rapid, unprecedented changes required that officers across the board went beyond their prescribed responsibilities. Everyone was thrown in together, doing whatever needed to be done, until their organized chaos became a relatively well-oiled machine again. During that time, Takumi did the only thing he was ever fully confident at - following the wise suggestions of his elder siblings about what matters he should help them with. He studied like mad for the things he needed to know for these jobs, all the while secretly hoping that he was not weighing anyone down.

As stability gradually formed within the kingdoms’ courts once more, Takumi sometimes felt the dread that Ryoma or Hinoka would ask him about ‘what he would like to do’. It was rather silly, but he was terrified of that question, for although he felt their importance keenly, he still thought that he had no special passion for governing matters - passion that would make him boldly ask a post for himself, encouraged by the knowledge that few others could compete with him on the ground of ‘driven to excel’. Really, he only hoped that his brother and sister would tell him where to stay to be useful.

Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, however, this fear made him think harder than ever. As per usual, he wallowed in uncertainty until he was mad with frustration, then proceeded to complain to Leo. As per usual, Leo let him vent for just the right amount of time before distracting him with other practical concerns. If there was any difference, it was that Leo started to think about this matter as well. Takumi could see it in his eyes.

And it was during one of those lulling periods where Takumi temporarily forgot about his worry that Leo came back to him. “What can you answer?” he asked. Then, in a more careful voice. “What about a question of ‘Whom’ instead of ‘What’”?

That helped Takumi step back and take a deep breath. It was a question that he had considered before, but was not sure if it could be taken as a good approach. All the running around that he had done in the preceding years had led him to meet more people that he could imagined. He had worked closely with professions he did not even know existed before, had come across all forms of group debate and bonding, argument and reconciliation, had experienced failures then successes in cultures from family scale to national ones. And he had actually enjoyed that, the learning, the helping, cooperating with other people. It wasn’t that interactions no longer make him nervous, but they had brought him great excitements too. He had learned to navigate the water and knew how to take care of himself whenever the boat rocked.  

With this discovery, Takumi was finally able to let out a small sigh of relief. He was quite sure that Leo did, too. He proceeded to tell Ryoma and Hinoka these thoughts, albeit with much less eloquence and certainty than he could now. They responded with warmth and enthusiasm, as he expected. He imagined that he could see the shadow of Camilla’s knowing wink in Hinoka’s smiling expression too. He did not bother to ask.

He did not expect a private interview with Xander to follow, however. As often as they had worked with each other, there had always been someone else in the family who brought Takumi into the fold for the task, who shared the greater responsibility with Xander and simply suggested this or that small part of the work would be handled well by Takumi. This time, the greater responsibility could be his. It was truly a first for him, sitting down to listen Xander speak of a plan that had gotten nothing to its name other than a draft.

“You can pick who to ask to work for you. You can pick who to ask for help,” Xander had told him. “Everyone can be both and everyone can help you with both, myself included.”

Takumi asked for four days to decide (anymore and he would think too much, he told himself that). The first thing that he did was to run to Leo and asked if he could let out all of his thoughts right then. “I want to process this shock as quickly as possible,” he had said, wide-eyed and panting. “Then I will be able to think properly.”

Leo sat with him through the panic talking and through the thinking as well. Takumi extended his stay in Nohr for another two days, during which he and Leo came to Xander several times with questions. In the next two days, Leo adjusted his plan and went with Takumi to Hoshido so that they could bombard Ryoma with more questions. When Takumi finally wrote back to Xander, he could only give a tentative yes, but it was also the most confident ‘tentative yes’ that he had ever made.

In the following year, he travelled more than he had in his previous twenty years combined. He visited numerous underground structures across the continent, many of which required direct negotiations by Xander and Ryoma just for limited access. The number of trips only increased in the next year. With that, his team also grew to include many experts on tunnel construction and, surprisingly, quite a number of advisors on many other fields. This was because for each inch of knowledge they wanted to gather, they had to learn a whole bookcase about the community that owned that knowledge as well as offer enough values to become their friend.

This led to the reason that a total noob like Takumi could still go around calling himself ‘leader’: in order to merge the precious bits and pieces together, there had to be someone who did the organizing works that the experts were too busy to do and too busy to do well.

Takumi's ‘yes’ became an enthusiastic one, he realized, when his team began to function as one even as they grew larger. The toll of work and worries still made him gape more often than not, but he focused on the funds and the perks - mostly the fun of mingling with intelligent folks and the perk of avoiding a great many snobby people of the courts. Additionally, unlike the time before peace, he had learnt to grab on all the handholding he could get.

Naturally, he relied heavily on Leo for everything. In fact, Leo had already gained the reputation of ‘that rear line general who knows everything’ among the team before Takumi realized that it was time he gave Leo an official title, together with an office to store his ever accumulating mount of documents and, well, a wage.

(Takumi knew he deserved the enormous eye-roll that ensued. Leo must have realized the matter long before and waited for that exact moment to show off: he was the master of the project’s cost structure after all. He was probably watching the growing discrepancy between money allocated and money spent with devilish amusement, the bastard.)

It was also Leo’s involvement that made work so much more enjoyable for Takumi. Time spent apart didn’t feel like separation, he wasn’t failing alone or growing alone. Each new day on the road sent another storm of experience his way, and he never felt like no one at home would be able to see through the person that he was becoming. Even with the distance in geography and the differences in life patterns, he and Leo were always moving in tandem, always connected and thinking for each other. He thought he could finally understand now, how Xander and Ryoma could bear being apart so much and letting their duties tie up their time so tightly.

That did not mean that the embers weren’t glowing and sparkling up frustration all the time, though. In fact, if this armchair wasn’t so damn comfortable, he would be running through the palace looking for Leo right this moment. Ah, but he didn’t want to get dressed and the footbath wasn’t to be wasted, so all that he did was to will Leo to come back soon.

Takumi closed his eyes and sagged further into the cushion.

He woke to the feeling of soft towel rubbing his left foot. He wiggled his toes in greeting.

“Is it some strange sense of aesthetic that makes you want to leave your feet shivering up like miserable prunes every time?” Leo complained. The basin had been moved to the side. He was crouching in front of the armchair, a towel on his lap and both hands propping Takumi’s foot up to dry it. It seemed that he had been at the task for a while, and had changed out most of his clothes as well.

The light massage from the rubbing felt very good. Takumi grinned lazily and stretched his leg to nudge at Leo’s stomach. “Welcome back.”

“That should be my line.” Leo finished and stood up. “How was the trip back? Have you had lunch?”

“Good. And yes.” Takumi stretched further. He threw the papers on his stomach onto the side desk and pulled at Leo’s hand, wanting him to lean down for a hug.

But Leo was having none of that. “Oy, put those back where you found them!”

“No I will not. It's a mess.” Takumi said. “Why would you stick your papers there? What will you do when you forget where you’ve hidden them?”

“I never forget. I associate my working papers with the different places at which they are put, that’s much better than piling them into one mountain.”

“What association could you possibly make between these and the poor shamrock?”

“Our shamrock can think better than this pig brain collective, is what.”

“Gods, Leo,” Takumi could only manage before he was consumed with laughter. This was funny no matter how often they argued about it. “Leo, I’ve seen you drop papers into your sock basket.”

“So I have explained to you many times,” Leo snatched the papers from the table, “that I have a system. Don’t clean up or you will truly mess me up.” He chose the hardest, most awkward way to put the papers back to the window sill by climbing onto the armchair, kneeling on both sides of Takumi and pretty much draping over him to reach beyond his head. He also made sure to be extra slow and deliberately shove his shirtfront into Takumi’s face to annoy him.

 

“Oh you just don’t learn!” Takumi cried and quickly began to tickle Leo’s waist with both hands, laughing to tears as his target yelped and wriggled. Leo’s lower back was his most sensitive area, he should have known better than to leave it defenseless.

As he felt Leo’s legs bending in the instinct to jump back from the chair, Takumi ceased the teasing and wrapped both arms around him, holding him firmly in place.

“Shhhh, bastard,” Leo hissed between heavy breaths. He twisted and slid down a little so that they were face to face. Chuckling, Takumi turned to his side and they rearranged their limbs. It was another peculiar thing, the size of this chair, for one had to wonder if there was a hidden intention in making it a little too big for one person, very snug if two tried to sit in, and about perfect when they wrapped around each other. They pulled their legs up, left their feet to hang in the air, and slotted their thighs between each other’s. Now they have found their perfect balance, eyes closed chest to chest, fingers woven into hair, smiling kisses on the nose answered by those on the chin.

“How are you?” Leo whispered, kissing Takumi’s chin again. “How was your trip?” Takumi only hummed. It wasn’t like he could answer when that voice was melting the last knots in his muscles. Leo’s arm was tight around him, his thumb gently nudged under the collar and rubbed small circles on Takumi’s nape. Takumi pulled at Leo's shirt until a part of the tucked hem of was freed and his hand could slide under the fabric. Leo’s stomach jumped a little under the caress of his palm, clearly still remembering the tickles, but Leo just snuggled closer and tightened their embrace.

Takumi sank into blissful warmth.

“The kids kept asking for you,” Leo murmured. “All of the kids.”

“Uh oh, I must go to Her Highness and duly get myself scolded before dinner then.”

“You might want to come by Oboro’s first to get the gist of tomorrow’s arrangements, lest Elise starts to drill you about your preparations.”

“Are you saying this because you don’t know the details either?” Takumi asked, then rolled his eyes and answered the question himself, “‘Naturally.’ Right, mister?”

Leo snickered, the short huffs of breath brushed over Takumi’s skin. There was no protest against the accusation. “Your wedding present is in my right jacket pocket, by the way,” he said languishly, not showing any inclination to retrieve said present himself.

Takumi raised his eyebrows. He reached his hand into the mentioned pocket and felt two wrapped packages. Too lazy to ask, he pulled the smaller one out, only to find that it contained half a chocolate waffle. He was rather sure that this was not what Leo had meant, but that didn’t stop him from popping the waffle piece into his mouth. _Hmn, delicious._

Leo’s eyes flew open at the crunching sounds. “Hey! Hey hey!” His hand reached out in vain, “Not that, I was saving that!”

“Serve you right for forgetting that it’s there,” Takumi swatted away his flailing hand and threw the wrapping paper onto the side desk. He let Leo pinch his cheek in return, his whole mind focused on retrieving the bigger package. It felt quite soft.

There was little space, so he shook the content out onto Leo’s shoulder. A bunch of fabric felt out. Picking them apart with his one free hand, Takumi found two pairs of long, skinny kerchief. One was of the same red as his usual hair ties, the other was indigo. He raised his eyebrows.

“Can you feel the spells on them? Try to activate one,” Leo said.

Takumi couldn’t tell what the spells were for, but he blindly tried one. For a moment, it felt like nothing had happened. Then, slowly, very gently, a scent like incense seemed to unfurl from the strip of fabric in his hand, until it fully wound around him like a blanket of comfort.

“Oh,” Takumi let out a small sound. This was the incense he would use for his quarter in Shirasagi. He brought the kerchief closer to his nose. The scent became stronger, but never sharp or overwhelming, just beautiful. And very real: he thought he could detect the warm note of a lived-in space too, exactly as it would be in his room. He tried a different kerchief. This time, he smelled apple blossom.

“You can change what scent it takes in, I’ll show you later.” Leo said. “The spell is sensitive, you should be able to be quite specific.”

“This is very nice, very… suitably frivolous.” Takumi grinned, the light-heartedness as well as the great effort that must have been put into such a selective spell were simply very _Leo_. He also had no doubt that he would soon be surprised by the news about an unexpected application of this spell somewhere. That always happened with what Leo worked on. On his part, he was glad that his present met exactly the same criteria, and even won in term of timing. “Yours is in the red pouch I hid in the corner of the bedside drawer,” he said while resuming their hug.

Leo hummed and hugged back. It was a few minutes before he reluctantly unwrapped himself from Takumi. He flicked the kerchiefs at Takumi’s gleeful expression and patted over to the drawer, from which he retrieved the pouch without needing to search, obviously having known its presence there beforehand.  

It was a great show afterward. Takumi’s smile grew wider and wider as the thin chain poured out from the pouch onto Leo’s palm, then the pendant. He almost laughed when Leo frowned down at it, his whole face twisted up as his brain engaged in intense critical analysis, his fingers turned the pendant up, down, and around several times. This puzzled expression was pretty much the whole reason that Takumi had spent days designing the pendant. It was a clear crystal of superb quality, kite cut and had a hollow inside. The opening at the top was stopped by the pendant hook. In the small pocket within were several small, round flakes with dull off-white color. As for what those were… it was going to be the game.

Leo walked back to stand by the chair and held the crystal up to the window. “What did you put it here?

“Guess. It’s nothing magical, I can say that.”

“It’s certainly not gold either.” Leo raised his eyebrows.

“Nope, nothing precious enough to save you in a pinch, unfortunately.”

“These just looks like dirty oat flakes.”

Takumi made a face of mock disdain, but could not hold it for long. The secret was too amusing for him. “What kind of tomato head are you if you don’t know what tomato seeds look like?” He cried, trying hard to swallow the laughter bubbling in his chest.

“Tomato seeds,” Leo gazed back down at the crystal, looking impressively judgmental.

Takumi curled up and giggled. He wished he could bottle that expression and carry it around in his pocket. “Ah ah, don’t squint like that. There’s inestimable symbolic value in that,” he said and patted his chest in an effort to speak normally. “It’s a new breed that have been recently selected for wide use. I’m going to reveal it tomorrow in the feast. I’ve already named it ‘Leo’s favorite’.”

As soon as the last word left his lips, he was laughing again, and his condition only worsened when Leo jumped on him, grabbed his neck with both hands and _shook_. “You named it my favorite before I even know what it’s like?” Leo growled, but he was trembling with laughter too.

“That’s precisely how new things are named,” Takumi grinned madly from ear to ear, shaking his head back and forth to play along.

“Is this the literal meaning of dragging my name through the dirt? And who advertises horticulture in their own wedding?!”

“What difference does it make? l’m going down in history with your name by mine anyway. Our bad tastes are already forever associated with each other.” The last words left his tongue in a blur as he bursted out laughing once more at the look on Leo's face. _Dilemma dilemma_ was written all over it, complete with pursed lips, glaring eyes, and furrowed brows. All these adorable features were scrunching up in very familiar way under the weight of - Takumi could guess from experience - intensely conflicting thoughts as Leo pondered if he could instigate a kiss without appearing pleased.

Still laughing, he pulled Leo down. He was met with a loud protesting noise but a very soft landing. Leo’s arms automatically fitted around him, the ready complaint dissolved in the kiss. Takumi tasted every expression that followed - an exasperated twist of the lips, a scolding nip, then a low hum of pleasure, all layered upon a bright and ambrosial sweetness. All at once, his heart swelled with elation and ached with need. He took in a deep breath as his body shivered with thrill, his long-repressed yearning suddenly released from the last restraint of his will. Leo soothed him with a smiling kiss. The tender lips lingered on his, a hundred smaller kisses now landing one after another, gentler and gentler, fondly, longingly. Absentmindedly, Leo caressed Takumi's cheek with the back of his fingers, his head tilted so that Takumi’s hand could curve over his nape. Takumi let out a soft sigh as he felt the flutters of Leo’s eyelashes on his cheeks.

When the peppering kisses had rested at the base of his neck, when he finally opened his own eyes, the light in the room had changed, casting a honey glow on Leo’s hair. Takumi looked down at it as Leo’s head tucked under his chin; his nose took in a dry, cool scent. A fleeting idea passed his mind for the magical kerchief.

“You taste like berries,” he muttered. “How many types of treat have you been enjoying without me?”

“I’m not telling you.” Leo answered, revenging in a rather lazy manner. “Let that be my revelation tomorrow.”

“Petty.”

“Very petty, only when I’m with you. Guess why?”

Takumi sniggered as a thought rose in his mind. “Remember when we dreamed that we would become as great as how our brothers were at this same age?”

“Pfffff,” Leo stuck out his tongue. “We’ve failed horribly. We are completely off-track.” A pause. “Though I maintain that I am perfectly respectable in court.”

“Right, you are even _cordial_ to people when you meet them in person. Your letters, however, pack punches like they are the greatest joys on Earth. Some hearts are old and delicate, Leo. Have mercy.”

“Oh? I’m very sorry. It seems that Hoshidan honesty has been rubbing off me in spades.”

“Now now, blaming me for your failure to grow up is pushing it,” Takumi decided to put a foot down on the smugness. Inside, though, he happily claimed the achievement for himself.

Because Leo was dear like this. There were many things that Takumi did not realize about Leo only until much later in their journey together, when those details began to transform into something else. The brittle grace that he used to think of as inherent to Leo had melted and morphed over the years. The shadow on Leo’s skin was now more pink than green, glowing and less translucent. Many parts on his body had filled out. His features had also matured. His neck was stronger, his smile fuller. And to Takumi’s delight, while his jaw and cheekbone had become more defined, Leo’s cheeks remained plump and his eyebrows soft. The eyes that had so often unnerved others with their wide, critical stare now possessed other powerful gazes as well - the thoughtful one that commanded respect, the laughing one that Takumi greedily hoarded in his memory, the peaceful one that he held most precious.

Even though Takumi knew that he was still too young to fully grasp the process playing out in front of his eyes, he could tell that while some of these signs were from growing up, others had to do with growing up _happy_.

Filled with relish, he hummed and began to ran his fingers through Leo’s fine hair. His touch went from easy caressing to deliberately messing up, his grin grew wider and wider, his other hand slid under Leo’s shirt again, rubbing and enjoying the hitched breaths. Leo smacked his side in scolding and turned his head up, brows furrowed in question but eyes sparkling with laughter. His face was still flushed, his lips throughoutly kissed. When Takumi pulled him up again, their lips met with more giggles than kisses.

Finally, finally, they stilled within each other’s hold, the perfect kiss turning deeper, longer, yet never enough. Leo let out a small sound as Takumi’s tongue flicked across his. Eagerly, he returned the affection. He ran his palm under Takumi's robe, not so much roaming but seeking for the heat of the body, at once possessive and starved. A press over the heart, the dragging against the side, a moment to settle at the small of his back, then lower and lower. Takumi hummed as each touch turned softer and more intimate. Already, his mind was plunging into the haze of a drunken fever. The hand on his skin was hotter than anything, he thought, igniting flame across his body like fire spreading over grassland. More sensual than any sound were those of Leo’s quiet, erratic breaths, hitching in between the wet kisses pressed on his skin. Takumi fumbled to open up his robe. “Leo, Leo,” he called in whispers, instinctively reaching out as Leo sat up to pull off his own shirt. At once, Leo leaned down into his touch. At once, they groaned at the feel of skin on skin, already heated with each other’s temperature. Leo had gotten pink down to his shoulders. For a moment, Takumi marveled at that pale shade. Then he tilted his head and bit at the base of Leo's neck.

A gasping moan rang by his ears, making his lower half throbbed with hunger. On his lips he felt the delicacy of the collarbone, the smooth softness of the neck, the trembles of pants and moans fluttering in response to his demands. He pressed a little harder, drinking in with all senses the sweetness of Leo's arousal. Still, his inside burned with a fire stoked to insatiation. He traced the lines of Leo's neck with the sharp of his teeth, swirled his tongue in the hollow of the throat before biting down on its side, chasing higher moans and tighter grips of Leo’s hands on his shoulders. Dimly, he realized that this was the first time he had done this with so much force, out of so much pure desire. Their legs were already entwined so tightly, their cocks grinding desperately through the thin fabric. Neither of them would last like this, yet all Takumi wanted to do was to grab at Leo’s hips and haul him up for more friction, to feel his whole weight as well as command his pleasure.

A shuddering heat shot through him at this last thought, riveting and daunting at the same time. He reached his hands outward instead, clutching at the armrests to slow himself down.

The softness of silk between his fingers temporarily woke his brain from its blissed out state. “Leo,” he huffed, barely audible even to himself, “Your shirt will fall into the basin.”

Leo only hummed in dismissal. His hands pulled at Takumi’s forearms insistently, wanting to regain the embrace around himself.

“The herbs will stain,” Takumi said, not even sure if his logic was sound or necessary. He tried to blink and clear his mind just a little, his hand patted behind Leo’s head to comfort him. “Shhh, just a moment.” Dizzily, he tried to roll Leo to the side and rose from the chair. The whole of his housekeeping efforts consisted of stumbling two steps forward to throw the precious shirt and his bathrobe onto the bed.  

When he turned around, Takumi’s vision flared for a moment. Leo was sprawling in the armchair, his legs spread wide, one side of his disheveled pants pushed down far past his hipbone. His whole chest was flushed pink and heaving with heavy breaths. Only his head was still slightly upright, for which he was resting his cheek lightly on one hand, elbow propped on the armrest, and eyes half-closed. His bang had fallen messily over his brows, his red lips were slightly open in panting, the corners curving up in a most genuine yet beguiling smile, half hidden behind graceful fingers. The sight made Takumi’s heart all twisted up, pounding deafeningly in his ears. When he stepped back in front of the armchair, Leo turned his eyes up to look at him. Molten light danced within that gaze. Delighted. Hopeful. Enticing.

Takumi swallowed, then swallowed once more. “Are we not moving from here?” He managed, already unconsciously settled his hands on Leo’s hips and thumbing the skin.

Leo's eyes twinkled. “I'm not going to answer needless questions today.” He loosely hooked his legs behind Takumi's, urging Takumi closer and teasingly running the bare heels up and down his calves.

Takumi leaned down, giving into the irresistible pull, but still clung to the last threads of his self-control. “Do tell me if I’m assuming wrong,” he said.

That only earned him an exasperated huff of laughter. Leo grabbed his wrists and pressed them down to make him feel more, touch more, _claim more_. Takumi breathed in deeply as his hands ran over smooth skin. With force he pushed down both the pants and underwear, his eyes watched as the rest of Leo was revealed. Leo pulled his knees up in assistance, the sight of his thighs slowly rubbing together was enough to make Takumi flushed hotter. And then those long legs were free and open, hitching lightly on both sides of Takumi's waist and caressing him teasingly.

Pushing one knees between Leo’s legs, Takumi dove down to kiss him. The moans they shared felt burning hot on his lip, the gasp he drank down warmed him to his core like a spring of aged wine. Leo was pliant under him, body curving perfectly against the insistent push of his chest and abdomen. Just as rough passion coursed within him, he marveled at how his heart fluttered when he gently cupped Leo's cheek, how it elated him just to have Leo leaning into his touch, to feel that lovely face tilting up to receive a kiss on the nose, to catch a soft kiss on the palm as he rose to press one of his own on each of Leo’s eyelids. Whenever he remembered to open his eyes and see, there was a smile before him.

It didn't matter that he had felt this love over and over again for so many times, given to him exactly like this or under any other form. He would never know why Leo could receive him so wholly and happily.

 

 _You think you don't know._ Leo gazed up at the face above him, into those honest eyes that always looked at him with care and wonder. _My dear Takumi,_ he sighed fondly, not for the first time. He dragged his hands down Takumi's chest, catching in his palms the strong heartbeats and tracing his fingertips along the faint stretch marks. For a while he had envied Takumi for these, when he became self-conscious after the realization that work would send Takumi trekking all kinds of terrain while he sat at home and exercised little more than his mouth. Then his inclination for comparison went from vying with that for admiration to being swallowed up by it. He was captivated by entirely new discoveries. It was simply beautiful, how Takumi’s body changed once it was freed from the constant mental and physical strains of training and fighting for a decade-long conflict. As if finally shaking off long, heavy chains, Takumi’s posture became more open, his movements were lighter, the bulges of his muscles were more even and supple. The hue of his skin even became warmer, which Leo had thought impossible before.

Meanwhile, totally oblivious to those transformations, Takumi continued offer that same sincere and endearing heart of his to the world behind what he thought was a cautious front. It was just like him, one had to concede, to miss what his family truly saw - a sincere brother always nervously asking himself what _more_ he could become for the sake of others. And from Leo's point of view - a beloved always looking at him with complete attention and devotion.

Spreading his legs wider, Leo arched up to grind hard against Takumi. Takumi instantly groaned and pushed down more firmly, his arms wrapped tightly around Leo's back; but the intuitive move to hold Leo in place only resulted in more pleasure between them. Soon, Takumi had forgotten his original intention. Leo's cock throbbed as large hands slid down to grab his backside, kneading the cheeks and parting them. Large thumbs and fingers slid in to caressed his sensitive skin, the slight touches were enough to make him jump a little and clung closer to Takumi.

Clumsily, he pushed Takumi’s underwear down and take both of their cocks into his hand. They were slick with precome, standing hard and very hot. The first stroke made both him and Takumi let out a gasp, but Leo only felt more impatient. He pumped quickly and firmly. “Leo,” Takumi panted against his temple. He nipped warningly at the rim of Leo’s ear, but his good will was only repaid with a bite on his shoulder. “Hnn- no,” Leo moaned against Takumi’s skin, “No-  It’ll feel so good.”

A little more, and Leo’s breaths began to tremble with the rushes of pleasure inside him. He let out a surprised whine when Takumi grabbed his wrist. He turned his head up to look, a question ready, but the light shimmering in Takumi’s eyes made him momentarily forgot himself. Breathing in more consciously, he loosened his hold, leaned his head back, and sagged into the armchair again. He kept staring at Takumi as his own arm was raised above his head, his mind filled with the sight of long eyelashes fanning over pink cheeks, of one thin lock of silver hair brushing over the bow of Takumi’s lips. Instinctively, he complied and reciprocated when Takumi wove their fingers together and pressed his hand against the backrest.

And then he closed his eyes. He felt the cool of lube spreading on his skin, then the warmth of Takumi’s breaths returning over his lips. Sweetly, they kissed. Takumi’s other hand touched him in an unhurried manner. Stroking, massaging, gathering. A finger in, then two, curling in gentle thrusts.

It was all so leisurely, yet the change in pace did nothing to calm the heat coiling within Leo. He was still on edge with anticipation, burning at the thought of being filled with Takumi, of the sweetness of their tongues around each other and their hums mingled. His free hand lingered over Takumi's body, searching for the familiar curves - the shoulder blades, the back muscles, the dip of the spine.

Takumi answered the caresses by slightly squeezing their joint grip, over and over, his thumb rubbed soothingly over the back of Leo's hand.

They were just small, absent-minded actions, but so full of tenderness that Leo felt the last lines of reason in his mind unravelling with them. “Your other hand too,” he whispered, perhaps incoherently. He couldn’t tell.

Takumi kissed him long before stopping the thrusts. Leo kept his eyes closed and his lips-half opened, his body stayed locked in the echoes of past pleasures. He gasped lightly as Takumi pushed in, then forgot all about breathing as the stretch became more and _more_ , deeper, hotter, edging him toward an overwhelming bliss. It should be a pleasure he knew and expected, one he had received as often as given, yet still he trembled. Takumi thrusted in slowly, his right hand now holding Leo’s left tightly overhead as Leo had asked for. Leo arched up and wrapped his legs tighter around Takumi’s hip, half-lifted into the air as he moved along the waves of pleasure unfolding from everywhere they were connected.  Dimly, he wondered if the fever was sparkling and pulsing from below or right from his left chest, if it was truly running through his spine or merely wrapping around his mind. All that he was certain of was his eventual powerlessness in the face of its demands and rewards.

Feeling boneless, he slipped his arms down around Takumi's back. Their bodies were both slick with sweat, the shared heat so scorching between them. Leo didn’t notice that he was burying his face deeper into Takumi’s chest until he felt one hand cupping his nape, rubbing it and guiding him to look up.

He blinked his eyes open, and his meager breath was instantly logged in his throat. Takumi’s gaze was like lightning striking through him, so intense and full of adoration. Dark and wide. Beautiful _. His._ Without further thought, Leo sealed their lips and let a strangled moan be his confession.

Takumi groaned in return and increased the force of his thrusts. They broke apart to gasp, but kept their foreheads together. Takumi briefly closed his eyes. _So good, Leo_ , he whispered. Then in a clearer voice, “You alright?”

“Does that-” Leo moaned long, “Takumi, I talked about needless-” Another shudder interrupted his words. Giving up, he raised both hands to push back Takumi hair and cradle his face.

He received a kiss on the nose in return. “I'm still a bit concerned for your neck,” Takumi murmured.

Leo choke out a weak chuckle. To hear such a concern of all things made him light-headed. “I’m feeling so perfect,” he panted, “that maybe my head will need to be horizontal eventually.”

He would have been more surprised if he wasn't still dazed with pleasure when Takumi really stopped and helped him stand up. He reached the bed almost out of instinct, knowing not what to do, only that he wanted to have and to please Takumi in equally desperate measures. Out of that same instinct, he kneeled down on the bed, stretched his back forward and let out a long sigh as he pressed his cheek onto the cool sheet.

He heard Takumi breathe in sharply. “Leo.” A warm hand reluctantly placed on his waist. He hummed  and swung his hips back a little in response, desire rumbled in his veins as he felt the heat of Takumi leaning close.

Then a hot kiss fell on the base of his spine.

A jolting shiver ran through him. “Takumi-” he called, panting. But there was already another kiss, then another, moving up along his spine. “You give me mad thoughts, Leo,” Takumi said in a low voice, as if talking to himself. His other hand held onto Leo’s stomach, pressing just slightly. Bursts of sensation shot through Leo’s nerves; he moaned, arms wavering. He really wanted to ask who was going mad here, when it was him being showered with these small touches by Takumi like he deserved to be cherished and doted on so. His skin felt everything too keenly - each huff of breath and flicker of tongue, each small circle that Takumi’s palm was rubbing on his stomach. Takumi was being too slow and careful in this exploration, making him more tied up in anticipation than he could possibly handle.

Leo couldn’t help a high whine as the heat rose up to his chest, as Takumi’s fingers pressed on his nipples and kisses were laid just below his shoulder blades. His arms folded down until his chest was flat on the bed as well. Takumi leaned down with him, lips never leaving his skin. He moaned long when Takumi’s cock thrusted into him again. It should be just a little deeper, just a little more friction, yet it felt so fast and so _full._ Tingling heat ran from his hip all the way down to the tips of his toes, ripples of pleasure crescendoed within him, wrapping around his heart and filling his chest. He arched down like a taut bow, his body and mind baring themselves to the waves of sensations. When the next sound pushed through Leo's throat, he could not tell if he was gasping or shouting.

Ecstasy was a thread weaving around Leo, a net closing in, an uplift constantly rising, pledged to push him far pass his limit. When it finally crash upon him, surely he would be ruine- “Ah Takumi!” Leo cried, blinding stars sparked before his vision. A harder thrust, and he sobbed, his body shook and begged for more. “Please, please,” he gasped, all breath and no sound. “Please!” He used the last of his control to turn his head, his unseeing eyes sought for Takumi.

Takumi caught him at once. One arm braced firmly across his chest, hot lips pressing over his, drinking his stuttering moans. “Ah!” The climax swept through him like a storm. “Ah- hah!” Leo cried out and grabbed at Takumi’s hands. Pleasure flooded through his veins and burned through his nerves, quaking through him in unending trembles. Takumi, buried so deeply within him, were shuddering against him with each hard thrust, heavy breaths flaring hot on the side of his face, heaving and broken with the groans of his name. “Leo, Leo. Dearheart”.

Each sound made him gasp and quiver anew. Leo could do nothing but pulling Takumi’s hold tighter around himself and retreating further in the embrace. Even the gentle tremors of Takumi’s release, of the final open-mouthed kisses on his nape made his heart thumped wildly. They collapsed on their sides, fingers tightly woven and legs tangled with each other.

Feeling the sweat cooling down too quickly on his chest for his liking, Leo turned around and wrapped his arms around Takumi, tucking Takumi's head under his chin. Takumi chuckled and snuggled against him, though not without some fidgeting. “Hngn, I’m still having goosebumps,” Takumi mumbled.

Slowly, Leo rubbed Takumi’s back, lingering on places that resulted in pleased sounds and a closer lean into his touch. He felt a kiss gently pressed onto the side of his neck, then a small flick of tongue too. As he skimped his fingers up the back of Takumi’s neck and caressed the rim of an ear, he listened as their breaths slowed down and matched in rhythm.

“Oboro's going to scold us for this tomorrow.” Takumi kissed his neck again. Then once more.

He half-opened his mouth to answer, but then just laughed out loud. His body shook with the force.

“What's funny?” There was a smile in the tone.

“I just-” Leo laughed harder as he tried to form the words on his tongue, “Dear gods- I almost asked you what is it that’s planned for tomorrow.”

“Oh really!” Takumi cried and smacked him on the back, “And here I wanted to rush back earlier because _I couldn’t wait_.”

“Ah, but timing doesn’t matter, does it?” Leo snickered. “Our bad names are already forever associated with each other.”

He got another smack for that. “Stop talking. I refuse to spend energy reconsidering any decision right now. If you are determined to make it harder, however-.”

“No no,” Leo hitched his leg over Takumi’s hip to make a bear hug. “All major arguments show that you have made the right one, remember that.”

“You try listing one to counter _that_ just now then,” Takumi challenged while hugging back tightly.

Leo spent the next moment humming, deep in contentment with the embrace.

“Hey, wake up, mister genius.”

“Shhh, genius brain not functioning. Give me a moment to find my normal brain.”

Takumi bursted out laughing. “You know what? As I have plenty of experience with a normal brain, let me tell you-” This time his words were cut off by Leo squeezing both arms and rocking them in place.

“Stop it.” Leo rumbled. Really, his head couldn’t hold any argument in this state. If there was anything he could say, they were words that had already came to the tip of his tongue, words about all the bright feelings flooding his heart right this moment. Ah, maybe they would not make a real answer for Takumi's question, but they would still make the most important one. “Takumi, Takumi, I have been so happy.” He rocked harder and kissed Takumi’s hair. “Family is an amazing thing.”

Below him, Takumi shoved his chest lightly and huffed out a long laugh, one that melted into a giggle, and then a pleasant sigh. “That’s right, husband.”

 


	5. To the Season of Your Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nearly two decades of peace. More kids than this author could handle. A surprise and happy reunion. A long trip for family and friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bless Silma’s coin flip.  
> Ryoumarx R content between ~*~ signs.

 

 

“If one day my name will get tossed around for the good fun of my people, then I will rest easy with the knowledge that my interferences with their lives have not been wholly disastrous.”

– Xander, King of Nohr –  

*

On a fine spring day, Lord Takumi, Headmaster of the Meruhen Tunnel project as he had been for ten years, opened his eyes to a room still dark.

Before he was fully awake, Takumi's brain was already going through the things to be done that day. Many of them were chores, but the first one was always pleasant. Since his work often involved long meetings and discussions, he seldom had time in the evening to do much for Forrest other than tucking him in for sleep. In remedy, whenever he was home, he would eagerly roll out of bed at the first notion of a new day and dedicate at least half an hour to playing his son, more if his schedule allowed.

Today, nerve had woken him up even earlier than usual. The ceremony to announce Shiro and Siegbert as successors to the thrones would happen later that morning, and excitement had gotten his brain to work way before it needed to. That’s right: well into his thirties, and Takumi still experienced such signs of anxiety. Ever since he began travelling extensively for the tunnel project, his attendance at official court proceedings had been kept at minimum. This meant that while he had gotten very good at making public reports and debates about his work, he had not improved at all when it came to formal gatherings that centered on the royal family. It was easy to compare and contrast by looking to his side to Leo, who, being a nightowl and having developed a heart of steel, was curling under the blanket with an expression of perfect contentment.

Takumi would have talked himself back to sleep if not for one thing: he knew of someone else who might be in the same state as him. Quickly, he shaved and changed, then tiptoed to the reception room. As he had expected, Forrest was already set up on a cushion in the corner with a book on his lap. He was barefoot and still in his yukata, but had already brushed his long hair in to neat locks. He looked up and smiled shyly when his father walked in.

“Good morning, dad.”

“It’s still a little early for either of us to talk about morning, isn’t it?” Takumi said as he slid the garden door open a little and peeked at the dark sky outside. He turned up the reading lamp above Forrest’s head before sitting down next to his son.

Forrest dropped his book onto Takumi’s lap and leaned against him, so sloppily that it he was nearly sprawling on his father’s thighs by the time he found a comfortable position. It was clear that his body still missed sleep.

Takumi wrapped an arm around Forrest to hold him. He also put the book aside, he doubted they would actually read it today. “Do you want to try sleeping more? I can lie with you in my room or yours. Otherwise, you will be tired later.”

“It’s all right. I promise I will go to bed early tonight,” came a small voice from around his stomach. “I know it will be even harder to sleep before the trip tomorrow.” Having said that, Forrest began to wriggle around again. He turned back and forth within Takumi’s hold, then fully lay down and draped himself across Takumi’s lap, flailing his arms and legs as if swimming, half playful and half bored.

Takumi let him.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Forrest crawled forward a little and stretched his whole body as he reached one hand toward the pile of cushions nearby. With the tips of his fingers, he pulled something around the pile: a tray bearing a thick envelope.

Takumi hid his surprise. “Has this already been here since you came in?”

“Ah, uhm, I… walked into the page who brought it,” Forrest replied, “They told me who sent it, I think, but it wasn’t a person or- or one of the offices.

Takumi raised an eyebrow. It was peculiar that a document would arrive so early in the morning, yet was neither urgent enough to wake them up nor important enough to be delivered in person at a later time.

“Won’t you open the package?” His son urged, “I am curious.” The confession was made with perfect honesty. It made Takumi huff out a laugh, feeling curiously warm inside. It was such a small thing, but nevertheless new from his son, this type of polite expression of thoughts and wants. Takumi still had not fully gotten used to it, same as with other novel developments from Forrest these days, including waking up early from anxiety and caring about a document that others had sent to his fathers. Children grew so very fast.

Patting Forrest’s head, he picked up the envelope. The seal made his brows climbed up higher. The identity of the sender, written neatly on the other side, had his eyes widen in surprise.

‘With great respect, from the editorial Board of _The Insider._ ’ The words swam before Takumi for a moment. Blinking rapidly, he nearly ripped open the envelope. What he pulled out was a small booklet, the appearance of which he had guessed from the moment he read the name on the envelope: fairly thin, green soft cover of durable paper, “ _The Insider”_ written in capital with bright yellow ink, a big vase of luscious flower beautifully printed with white ink, then the volume number in dark red. Taking a deep breath, Takumi flipped open the front cover, revealing a sizable card with gilded border that had been tucked underneath.

_Dear Sirs,_

_For seven years, the editorial board of The Insider have been providing its service with full knowledge of the risks intertwined with the activity, particularly in regards to the pleasure of our venerated lords and ladies of the royal Hoshido and Nohr families. In return, the lords and ladies have shown us nothing but deep leniency, without which this publication could not have flourished to its current quality. In this, we hold the deepest gratitude toward your kindness and progressiveness._

_This time, in the most joyous occasion of Prince Shiro and Prince Siegbert’s becoming succeeding Princes, we have made special changes to a regular section within our periodical that may be of interest to you. We humbly present you with a copy of the next volume of The Insider, that which we hope to distribute to the public on the morrow, suitably after the royal decree has been announced throughout the land. With luck, may we make this into a routine practice with later issues and enjoy your continuous support._

_Yours truly,_

A yawning silence reigned in the room. Takumi opened his mouth, closed it, then reversed.

“Uhm, dad,” Forrest poked at his gaping father.

Shaking his head, Takumi tried to scrap together his wit. “I- I think they are congratulating your uncles on making Shiro and Siegbert successors of the thrones.”

“By sending the congratulation to you and dad? In the form of a whole book?”

“They are sending a copy to the everyone in the family,” Takumi could only answer the first question. “I assume… I’m sure they are,” he babbled. He knew he needed to continue reading to know what the card was hinting at, but already he was suspecting that he would not be able to understand. Even if it wasn’t this early in the morning, it would probably still be too much for him, considering that he had never been able to truly comprehend anything about _The Insider,_ including something as basic as its content or its meteoric rise to popularity.

Here’s the gist: every six months, this publication profiled and discussed the forty most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes in Nohr and Hoshido. Every six months, _The Insider_ became the most mentioned name in town, the most sought-after periodical in pretty much the whole continent. The only thing of its kind. From the very first issue, the public had gobbled it up with ferocious hunger. The thing became a household name overnight, penetrating even towns and villages where people had never cared about literature before, nevermind society. In a sense, it was a testament to how much the people of Nohr and Hoshido had been looking toward the normalization of their lives and relationships. The periodical’s subject of choice, combined with a fairly acceptable level of accuracy, relatable descriptions, surprisingly rich statistics, delightful diversity, and smartly crafted language had helped it bypass the lingering post-war tension in the population with astonishing ease. The large number of people being included in its list showed that it was more than a sensational paper, but truly a handbook to consult. The publications were not cheap in language, presentation, or paper and ink; the top ten candidates in each kingdom even had their small black and white portraits included. Over all, these qualities had quickly boosted the paper to a position of decisive authority over the topics and tones of the juiciest gossips in both kingdoms _and beyond._ Not only was it widely received, it was pretty much considered mainstream.

Still, one could ask why Takumi should have cared given that premise. It was obvious that although the phenomenon was extremely interesting, it should not be of direct concern to him or any of his siblings. And it had not been, until certain names were mentioned in a most curious way. In fact, five years ago, the sixth issue of _The Insider_ dropped those names with a bang.

“Many readers have inquired us on the absence of Their Majesties the King of Hoshido and the King of Nohr from our list.” Its opening note pulled no punch. “If we are at all diligent in our duty to you, surely we must know their indisputable qualifications. If we are at all fair, then we must count it an honour to have the names of Their Majesties in this humble booklet instead of, as some letters from you have put it, compromising our journalistic integrity by pretending that Their Majesties belong to a different realm all together because of the high thrones. But to a different realm they do belong, dear readers. If you have followed us for long, you would notice that we have been excluding no few numbers of noteworthy individual even though they have not entered matrimony. This is because evidences from our research have pointed to their disinterest toward matrimony at this time. That Their Majesties intend to stay married to their work and dedicated to the raising of their princes has been continuously reaffirmed by Their Majesties’ words and actions. Thus, our methodology has been consistent and will remain unchanged.

At the same time, the affection that you have shown toward Their Majesties has introduced new inspirations to us. Thanks to the openness of the courts in recent years, the public has had a rare chance to observe between our sovereigns a most iconic example of true companionship. Although it is outside of our capacity to speculate on the fruits of their work, it would still serve the purpose of _The Insider_ to touch on how a relationship could have been built amidst such constraining forces of obligations and the recent past. We do believe that to have a similarly fulfilling connection is the goal of many of our readers. Accordingly, a small section has been added starting from this issue.”

Following that bizarre editorial was indeed one page about Xander and Ryoma. It listed their titles, recent achievements and on-going pursuits in diplomacy, and notable social habits and news. There was no discussion, unlike with the usual forty entries. If not for the continuance of the assertive tone, this succinct inclusion almost contradicted the zeal that was expressed in its introduction. The editorial board had clearly stated their attitude but refused to provide details that could be nitpicked. Weeks after this came out, Takumi was still befuddled, as did his siblings. No source of information could make clear to them the motive of the paper in thrusting Xander and Ryoma into the spotlight like this. Even if people truly inundated the paper’s mailbox for this specific kind of scuttlebutt (Xander particularly disbelieved that such interest could exist), there could only be calculated defiance behind its action, especially in the way it flirted with the label of their relationship. Leaning toward caution, the royals treated the situation from the riskiest potential – that no few of their lieges would make a test for the kings out of this, holding breath to see if heads would roll because of this irreverent but essentially trivial matter.

So the siblings let silence be their passive consent. They watched the wave of gossips unfurled with uncertainty around them, saw the shape it slowly gained, then the full confidence that it assumed when the next issue of _The Insider_ came out punctually and with the new section intact. They marveled at the overall innocence of those gossips, and also got to chuckle at how some of their more serious courtiers merely complained about, of all things, the childishness of any attention paid toward this affair. One issue after another, their responses went from nervous laughter to familiar amusement. They were slowly convinced by a simple truth: that citizens just wanted to have fun with their monarchs. _Expected_ monarchs to have fun with them. Even Xander, who never failed to pale, blush, then sigh in sequence whenever he glimpsed of the paper’s words on him and Ryoma, ultimately conceded that his stream of incessant worries could let this particular topic go.

Their leniency probably created a precedent, one that indirectly gave _The Insider_ more security against potential ire from other notable figures of their lists and promoted a laxer attitude by the public toward the courts, but that was be more good than bad. Besides, an unexpected but welcome consequence of this popularity had been the desistance of marriage persterments from their nobles toward Xander and Ryoma. It wasn’t that those nobles were converted by the ‘married to a life of work and fathering’ excuse. They were simply discouraged by the fact that pushing too hard would invite gossips and a great deal of scrutinization from the wider public.

And now-

Now Takumi quickly turned the pages, seeking for the familiar portraits of Xander and Ryoma. He could not help barking out a laugh when he found them. Where the profiles used to be put within two separate decorative frames, this time everything was within one. The paintings were side-by-side, the content had been combined into one block of text. It was filled with plain facts about their joined activities as usual, except that there were also congratulations and a few glowing words for the young princes.

That was quite enough.

Forrest, who had sat up between Takumi’s arms to read the open page, looked up at his father with quizzing eyes. Takumi made a sorry face at him. “I dislike saying that you are too young to understand something like this,” he said, the corners of his mouth fighting against a grin, “but I think even I am not old enough to claim full understanding of what’s going on.”

It didn’t help that Forrest then harrumphed in the way that only a nine-year-old could. “But I need to learn!” He cried and pulled at Takumi’s shirt. “If it’s not something I mustn’t know, then I should not be complacent.”

 _You should be throughoutly complacent toward this one,_ Takumi thought as he patted his son’s head. “Those words sound a little familiar. I thought we have both agreed that you don’t really like Siegbert’s and Shiro’s drives?” _Your dedication would make even my younger self cry, my dear._

Forrest’s face split into a big grin, showing the gaps of his missing milk teeth. “That’s right, daddy, but I’m still terribly curious!”

Time to shove the responsibility then. “Well, I guess our only choice is to ask your father then.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Forrest excitedly crawled out of Takumi’s hold. “Can I be the one to wake him up?”

“Please. He’s all yours.” Takumi grinned back. He choked out a chuckle when Forrest rewarded him with a curtsy.

Five minutes later, all that they had achieved was one grown man howling with laughter among the blankets. Exactly as Takumi had expected.

*

“Dad, can you tell me Shigure’s age again?”

Three hours later, they had donned their best and came to the Great Hall of Shirasagi. In the antechamber, they had met all of their relatives and exchanged the latest funs and news. Shigure, who had just entered that age stage where his look, manner, and knowledge appeared exponentially more grown up in the eyes of his younger cousins, quickly became a fascination of Forrest, who had just entered that stage where a child became obsessed with more grown up children. By the time they moved to the throne room, Takumi could tell that each of the teen’s word and expression thus far had been closely analyzed and throughoutly admired by his son.

“Hmn, fourteen,” he answered.

Forrest gasped. “Then I’ve already lived more than half of that! How am I ever going to catch up?”

Prepared as he was, Takumi still sputtered. “My dear, it doesn’t work like that.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Leo voiced his confirmation from the other side of Forrest. “But very well done on the division and inequality comparison.”

“Really?” Forrest immediately perked up. Also immediately distracted.

“I struggled forever with those when I was young,” Leo used his most convincing voice, the one that could ask milk to become ice cream. Takumi was pretty sure that Leo had struggled with the then unsolved theoretical problems of those two areas, not with making an algebraic calculation. He threw Leo a praising look for the twist of narrative.

 _Stop worrying_ , Leo mouthed at him. Takumi only snorted in answer. He would bet a fortune that his husband was smoldering in the same worry.

With the sounds of kane, all voice ceased in the hall and the ranks straightened. From one side, Shiro and Siegbert appeared and assumed their positions at the heads of the two front lines. They were dressed immaculately, though not in newly made or extravagant clothes. It was only their expressions that showed the importance of the event – both wore a trained dignified look, both were pale and tense.

When Ryoma walked out, he walked with Xander. Two thrones had been set on the dais, but neither king sat. A courtier stepped onto on the lower dais, bearing a scroll of red silk. After the formal greetings by the court, Ryoma crossed his arms behind his back as he addressed them “You have long demanded heirs from me. Now I have answered. If anyone has any objection, this is your chance.”

In the pin drop silence, he ordered: “Announce the Decree.”

“Prince Siegbert. Prince Shiro. Please step up and receive the Decree,” the courtier proclaimed.

For one so momentous, the Decree’s structure was remarkably concise and traditional. There was the usual opening, the general summary of Shiro and Siegbert’s achievement, the brief reasoning that the years had proven the princes capable for greater challenges and the lands were calling for more work to be done. There was no difference from one that would have been made for a prince born to a Hoshidan king and queen.

Except for the last sentence. “We hereby appoint Prince Siegbert and Prince Shiro to the Kingdom of Hoshido’s line of succession and acknowledge that both princes are to be simultaneously appointed to the Kingdom of Nohr’s line of succession.”

No further comment was required. “From today onward, your responsibilities come before you privileges.” Ryoma’s booming voice carried across the vast hall. “Your father, His Majesty the King of Nohr, have passed a decree to the equivalent effect for the throne of Nohr. Today, we will remind you to beware of the idea that each kingdom is secured and isolated within its own identity. Nohr and Hoshido can only prosper together, as you cannot grow without each other. More than ever before, your stance, manner, and action have consequences on the welfare of people across the continent. Your first assignment will be to tour Hoshido and Nohr in the next three months. The royal company set out tomorrow to visit the major provinces of Hoshido, the Meruhen Tunnel, and the major provinces of Nohr. You are expected to hold yourself to the highest standards of conduct, stay prudence, ask often, reflect always. When you present yourself to the Nohrian court in three-month time, we hope you will find yourself wiser as well as humble.”

“We will do our best.” Shiro bowed deeply.

“For Hoshido and Nohr!” Siegbert followed.

Takumi glanced down to his side, where Forrest stood fully captivated. His son was watching the ceremony with unblinking eyes and lips slightly parted. The sight made Takumi’s heat lurch on a strange beat. Xander and Ryoma had made it clear that any child born to their siblings could be made a potential successor if the child so choose. A few years from now, Takumi could be watching his own son stand in the middle of this great hall and bow to the duty of two thrones.

Both of them slightly startled when a hand gently placed on the back of Forrest’s neck. Forrest looked up at Leo, then carefully moved until he was clinging to Leo’s side. His body relaxed further when Takumi shifted along and wrapped an arm behind him. Without turning to look, Leo smiled as Takumi’s thumb rubbed slow circles on the small of his back.

 _The worry ever refuses to cease,_ Takumi thought, _but we are armed with experience to match._ Forrest gripped their hands tightly as the court session concluded and the crowd dispersed. On his young face was a frown of concentration, persistent even when Leo tried to distract him again by asking about the preparation of his luggage. The expression forebode very clearly to the adults that when the true question come out, it would only be the start of another torrential stream of questions from their intelligent son.

Still, Takumi chuckled amusedly when it came shortly after. “How did you start governing work, dad?”

*

The ceremony lasted only half an hour, but getting it done lifted a great weight off Ryoma’s shoulders. He flexed them as soon as he was out of the hall. Xander glanced at him and, smiling, did the same.

It was unclear whether it was a real or mock imitation. For fourteen years they had planned and hoped for this day. It had at times felt more like a long voyage than a mere race, full of unnerving twists and incredible serendipities. Now their sons had reached another milestone, with no little grace in front of the court, too. “I have always thought myself brazen, but I would be lying if I say that I didn’t have a moment of fear in that hall,” Ryoma sighed as they prepared to return to the king’s quarter.

The corner of Xander’s mouth lifted up. “I’m pretty sure your body was only responding to the worry rolling off from me. I have never doubted that you don’t know what fear is.”

“Give me some credit. I might have been lacking in my youth, but from the moment I was given two screaming babies just as I had wished-” Ryoma broke off to join Xander in the chuckles.

Just then, Charlotte rounded the corner of the hallway and, upon spotting them, came briskly forward with a blinding smile on her face. “Princess Hinoka requests for your presence at the Reception Hall, Your Majesties.” For some reason, she was slightly breathless and her eyes glistened with mischievousness.

Ryoma raised his eyebrows, but the lady kept on grinning straight at him. Xander intervened after a moment, “Thank you, please remind the princes of the family lunch for us.”

“They have already confirmed with me, sire.”

“Very well.”

These days, Hinoka was among the few ones who would appear in court in armor. Some fifteen years earlier, the sight of an armored general had been common in the palace. Now, even in only ceremonial armor, Hinoka stood out. Despite having seen her just that morning, Ryoma still blinked as his eyes were instantly drawn to the blood red of the scales and the beast patterns on her gleaming vambraces. It probably said something about him, who still considered himself a warrior lord, to feel strange about seeing the reminders of war in a hall filled with silk and porcelain. That’s not to mention that Hinoka no longer carry her spear like during the time just after the war.

She greeted Xander and him with the same playful look as Charlotte. “Here you are!” She cried. “Come, come, I can’t wait to see how you will react!”

“And hello to you, sister,” Ryoma said, more to maintain normalcy in the face of surprise than to truly respond. Then an idea came to him, “Hey, if you mean to talk about that periodical they sent this morning-”

Hinoka let out a peal of giggle. “Oh dear, no. We will have to laugh with each other about that later, I promise. But not now. You have got special guests.” She turned to Xander; her expression sweetened. “Especially for you, Xander.”

That successfully piqued their full interest. Clearly Hinoka thought that they would not need any royal manner for these guests, for she simply grabbed both men’s arms and unceremoniously ushered them toward one of the smaller reception rooms for foreign guests. One sliding door and a big folding screen later, the two kings found themselves face to face with two women.

It was a senior lady and a girl of a round fifteen. The lady was of small frame, but everything else in her appearance was larger than life. Her dress was loose and layered in very dark blues and greys, so was her short cape. Small silver chains peaked out under the folds, some of which suggested that they carried magical accessories. The lady’s face was small; her lips were thin and stern; and her small eyes, lined with kohl and a multitude of wrinkles, stared straight at the kings without reservation. Her long, unruly hair fell freely behind her back, a cascade of another unknown dark color peppered with grey patches. Compared to the lady, the young girl paled a little in presence, though her look was also no ordinary look. She was considerably taller and more muscular than her companion, while her face bore the round curves and bright blush of youth. Her hair was short and sandy, her travelling clothes were all shades of browns – both details somehow accentuated the liveliness in her eyes even more. As she curtsied before the kings, her mouth split into an easy, open smile with a snaggletooth.

The faces were unfamiliar to Xander and Ryoma. The clothes were even more so, bearing influences that were neither Nohrian or Hoshidan, or pertaining to any society that they could readily recall. At the confused expression on their faces, the senior lady smiled faintly. “Please pardon the bad manner of this child and I, Your Majesties” she began without greeting or introducing herself, her voice was as light as her frame. “We have been away from this land for so long that we have quite unlearned the necessary customs, and only one of us have had any contact with the genteel society at all.”  

It was something in the undulation of her voice, the proud tilt of her head, the daring look in her eyes that made recognition shot through the minds of both kings. They exclaimed together, “Nyx!”

“Woo hoo!” The girl and Hinoka whooped and clapped. “Well done!” Hinoka applauded. “Less than three minutes! I knew you would not disappoint Camilla and I!” The small smile on the lady’s face had bloomed into a full one. Nyx, for it truly was her, curtsied deeply with the air of an actress well pleased.

Laughing with disbelieve, Xander and Ryoma held her arms to raise her up. Even as they invited her toward a seat, they couldn’t stop looking at her, then at each other for confirmation and bursted out laughing once more. “This is incredible,” Xander finally calmed down to only chuckling, “Please, Nyx, you must tell us everything. How have you been since we parted?”

“That would make a long and boring story, sire,” Nyx replied with her own laugh. “What can I say? After your coronations, I was inspired to just… go out there and see what other interesting personalities the world still has to offer. I have wandered to lands separated from your capitals by distances as well as dimensions. You see that I have been cured of a great predicament, one that I once thought would come with me to my grave, and in its place have acquired another lasting nuisance. Please let me introduce my protégé, Ína.”

“Teacher! Why must you embarrass me so?” The girl immediately made a noise of protest. “Where are my well-deserved praises? What of all the dire situations that we have overcome together to undo your curse?”

Nyx shook her head decidedly. “We came together because I couldn’t leave her alone. Too much power subjected to too much impulse. This girl has absolutely no manner or sense of danger.”

“That is so wrong! Please, Your Majesties, I must correct this misunderstanding. Ína is a modest but dedicated apprentice of magic,” the girl rushed to talk. “It was I who adopted my lady teacher on the street. I have always wanted a younger sister. It took me ages to realize that I have picked up a grandma instead.”

“Child, you have no awareness that you are in the presence of kings.”

“You have always referred to them as friends! What are friends of my grandma if not just granpapas?”

Even Nyx had to hid her face behind her palm at this. Hinoka and Ryoma did the same, but only to cover their mouths as they laughed. Xander clasped Nyx’s other hand within both of his. “I am convinced that I must listen to your story, no matter how long,” he said. “Will you stay for a while? Are there businesses you must attend to? Can we help with anything?”

“What would we dare to impose on you?” Nyx laughed. “No, there is only curiosity on our part. My part, to be precise. Whenever I caught news from the continent, there always seemed to be a brand-new development in the life and spirit of the people. Not just peace but friendship and wealth? A tunnel under the mountain linking two kingdoms? How much are these youngsters working, I thought! And what a big family you have made for yourself! Congratulations on the achievements of the princes, sire. Above anything, today’s great news is what made me realized that it’s high time I return to see how this land has transformed.”

Xander’s expression brightened. “Then you must come on the tour with us!” he spoke, glancing to Ryoma with a smile. Ryoma smiled back. “Teach us the view and wisdom that you have gained in your travels. I surmise that you and your student will enjoy the diverse scenes that Nohr and Hoshido now have to offer.”

Ína let out a keen noise at this. She flushed brightly and clutched at her teacher’s arm with a tight grip, her whole body vibrated with excitement. Nyx tried to move away, but there was no escape from the grip of her strong and passionate discipline. Smiling wryly, she nodded to the kings. “Nothing would make me happier. I must make a bolder request, however, and ask if you would not mind letting the rest of my companions come along. I picked them up in one of my recent trips.” Here, the twinkles in her eyes began to look very much like Hinoka’s and Charlotte’s. “They are still a little foreign to our realm, but definitely of the good and highly… entertaining sort. You’ll see when you judge them for yourself,” she said, tilting her head toward the hallway as if listening to something.

At a similar cue from Hinoka, Ryoma and Xander stopped to listen. What became increasingly clear to them was a high voice drawing near – a high shouting voice mixed with high… sobs? The kings exchanged a look. Peri was the only one capable of making those distinct sounds, but ever since the arrivals of many children in the two palaces, she had been demonstrating stellar control of her emotional outbursts. If something could trigger her again...

By the time Peri was so near as to be right in the next room, it had become apparent to them that there was someone else, someone who was not only pleading in a low voice but also getting pushed around quite roughly. In fact, they were shoved straight at the sliding door that led to the reception room, making the kings and his guests jumped and wondered if the wall would come down.

But the door only slid open. Slowly, clumsily, jitterily. Until a man stumbled in.

All that Ryoma noticed at first was a head of messy pale hair and a blotchy red face, blackened with smudges of mascara on both cheeks.

The room was seized in a moment of stunned astonishment.

 _Bang!_ Xander sent the chair crashing out of his way as he shot up and strode forward. Before the new comer could even stand up straight, a fierce hug had enveloped him.

“Laslow! My friend!”

Ryoma also stood up, gaping at the person before him. In his mind, old silhouettes were trying to superimpose on new ones, pushing him toward recognition. It was really the Laslow he had acquainted with long ago; he was finally convinced not by scrutinizing the face that was still hidden in the hug but by hearing the shaky voice that was choked with emotions.

“My lord- My lord- How could you tell-” Laslow could only manage before he was consumed by sobs, sobs that only turned louder when Xander replied with laughs and pats to his back. “You shouldn’t have to ask that!” Xander's smile was so big. His eyes sparkled like stars when they glanced to meet Ryoma's.

Amazed, Ryoma turned to look at Nyx. She was looking intently at the hugging men with an impossibly proud expression. Slowly, a grin spread across her face. Without turning to him, she said: “I had expected joy from him, but to see such an open display of affection and emotions so freely expressed… That is a beautiful smile. Well done, your majesty.”

It felt like a maternal comment, coming to Ryoma like the approval of an elderly. “Are all three of them here?” He chuckled. “Did they pick them up or did they pick you up?”

“Technically, it was them who picked me up, for Ína and I were lost travelers when we met in their realm. I was the one who insisted that they must come back here to visit their old friends, however. Such shy and pessimistic children, they protested so vehemently when I first brought the idea up,” Nyx smirked, “But this old woman has her methods.”

Ryoma laughed, “I can only imagine.” He stepped forward and laughed once more upon seeing Laslow up close. Laslow’s collar was disheveled after his reunion with Peri, at least two buttons had been lost to the battle, and the man himself was sniffing loudly into the handkerchief that Xander had given to him. His other hand kept alternating between running through his hair and trying to wipe his tears, which only resulted in messier hair and wider black smudges on his cheeks. He looked no different from a cat coming in from a storm.

Despite the burdens of so many years – the sun spots and darkened skin, the new scars and wrinkles, the changes in stance as well as clothes, the person standing before them was still very much the dear friend they had parted with regret. Ryoma gave his handkerchief to Xander so that Xander could at least stop the makeup disaster unfolding on Laslow’s face. Xander was done with one cheek before Laslow finally regained more control and took this small piece of fabric for himself as well. “My lords- Your Majesties- Oh, I’m so silly. My mom will scold me for sure.”

“Your mother is here with you?” Xander was delighted.

“And… and my father…. wife…. daughter...”

A string of excited exclamations bursted forth. Ryoma couldn’t help giving Laslow hearty claps on the back himself. Questions and answers began to pour out from Xander and Laslow, sometime in a blur from the former and without proper logic from the latter. Both were unable to contain their elation. It was quite a sight for Ryoma; he felt Nyx’s point keenly.

After listening for some time, Ryoma came back to Hinoka, who had been engaging in animated conversation with Ína. “It looks to me that you have made sure to see witness the surprise reunions, Hinoka. Did you know anything beforehand?”

“Of course not,” she grinned, “But I was almost the first one to know. Beruka spotted Nyx and the trio wandering outside the Main Gate before the ceremony this morning. She was only sure about Laslow, Severa, and Odin, so she went and got me. Everyone else was scattered in the town at that time, so I asked Beruka to invite all of them to the castle. They arrived not long before the ceremony ended, probably touring the castle at moment.” Then she winked at him. “And don’t worry, your very smart sister has already asked the kitchen to prepare a much bigger lunch.”

Ryoma mock bowed to her. “The biggest family lunch that has ever been observed in the hall of this castle, I’m certain. Thank you for bearing the panic rants of the kitchen staffs for me.”

“They complained at first, but were pacified as soon as I mentioned that there would be guests of our beloved Nohrians. My my, we should be careful about our popularity, brother dear. The slip is rather dangerous.” That comment earned her a snort.

Hearing sounds of chuckle suddenly bubbling up behind them, Ryoma turned back and smiled at the sight of Xander and Laslow engrossed in conversation. Returning to Hinoka, he asked: “I assume that you are here to give Severa and Camilla space?”

“Yes, you can guess how the first moment went,” Hinoka indicated her head at Laslow. “If you are about to suggest that we go and see how Odin is doing with Leo and Takumi, however, I won’t refuse. Snooping is always fun.”

“...I was going to suggest that we see whether Takumi feels like joining us in taking Nyx and Ína for a tour.”

“Aw, that amounts to the same thing to me,” Hinoka giggled. She swiftly stood up and linked her arm around Ryoma’s. Her other arm was quickly taken in the same manner by Ína.

Ryoma gracefully resigned and offered his remaining arm to Nyx.

~*~*~

It was truly the biggest lunch crowd they had entertained in a while. The meal left Ryoma abuzz with excitement. So many new faces, so many personalities, yet he felt an instant connection with all of them. The conversations continued long after the meal had been finished and the tea enjoyed. Afterward, the royals spent time to arrange carriages and accommodations for their new friends to come on the tour – they had insisted on their invitation and their guests had accepted with pleasure. By the time he and Xander were on their way back to the king’s quarter once more, it was already early in the afternoon. Even though the castle was large, Ryoma could feel that a distinct stillness had fallen around them. Judged by the intuition of a parent, it was a serenity strongly associated with the time when children were taking naps.

Except that clearly not all children were in bed. Just as the two kings turned around the corner, their trained ears picked up a string of hissed words, then the small thumping sounds of someone quickly running away.

What was left to face them was one very sheepish Shiro. He was waiting in front of the door to Xander’s guest quarter, rocking on his feet and grinning widely. Then, as if suddenly remembering his recent promotion, he stood up straight and puffed out his chest. It was a significant transformation, especially since he was still in the ceremonial attire for that morning – jet black hakama, dark red kimono, a long grey vest couched with gold and silver for sun over sea and moon over land patterns.  The grin didn’t dim one bit, though, and nothing could pronounce his age more clearly.

Ryoma really wanted to laugh. “Can we help you with something?”

Shiro nodded excitedly. “I won’t bother your rest for long. I just have a small question.”

“Is it business?”

“Hehe… Not really, but related?” He quickly slid open the doors for his fathers.

Upon Ryoma’s insistence, Xander’s permanent guest rooms were just a courtyard away from the king’s. While Ryoma had kept his rooms and private garden largely unchanged from the time of his parents, he had been absolutely zealous about rearranging Xander’s to blend the taste and comfort of Nohr and Hoshido together. Whenever Xander was in Hoshido, this was where Ryoma automatically turned to during his private time. It also meant that their children would naturally gravitate toward this part of the palace during those periods. (A different, more probable reason was that they loved jumping onto the thick mattress of the platform bed).

Xander and Ryoma raised their eyebrows while Shiro eagerly guided them toward the bedroom then ran around helping them take off their outer clothes. Ryoma went along, while Xander just waved his hand and changed out himself. Unfinished, Shiro was insistent that Ryoma sat down on the bed in the most comfortable position, leaning against the headboard with a pillow behind his back. Seeing his own fate in that image, Xander sat down at the head of the bed as well, though only sideways. With his twelve-year old intelligence, Shiro had done everything short of tucking his fathers under warm blankets. His intention was clear as day.

“Dear fathers, I have a request,” he climbed onto the bed from its end, after having performed a subdued version of the usual jump.

“We are aware,” Ryoma said, trying to sound as even as possible.

“So, uhm… I know that Siegbert and I are half grown-up now”, Shiro’s words turned into whispers as he wiggled his way up between his fathers like a little earthworm. His seriousness managed to keep up for half of that. “But... _may we still sleep with you sometimes_?”

Ryoma blinked. To use sappy language, the paternal part in him slightly turned to goo.

Instead of giving question or answer, Xander looked down at his son for a moment. He brushed his fingers through Shiro’s hair then cupped one of Shiro’s cheek with his hand. Shiro puffed his cheeks up in response – the silly imitation of a hamster that he and Siegbert greatly enjoyed these days, for that made them look more like twins than anything else.

“Are you speaking for your brother as well?” Xander asked as he pinched one cheek.

“Yes.”

“...I would like to know if Siegbert will come to us some time later.”

“Uhhh, why are you asking?”

“Because when only one of you come to us with a request, the other usually has another one in store.” It was a strategy often employed to increase the chance that Xander and Ryoma would relent toward at least one request.

Shiro pouted at the exposure. “It is an option we are considering.”

“I was only making sure. For the request you have made, the answer is yes,” Xander said, his eyes flicked to Ryoma after the word had already been spoken.

As if such answer need discussion between them anymore. Ryoma chuckled and joined in. “We ask that you say the other request now, however.”

At that, Shiro rolled onto his side and clung to Xander’s hip. “Ugggh, we were going to save it for a later, more favorable time- Ah, I don’t mean to say ‘more favorable’ as negative-” He rolled his head back to look up at Ryoma. “Oh please forget my rambling, what I want to say is, in case you want, gah, any _inspiration_ for an occasion like- like the children’s festival or the summer festival… _Canwehaveapuppyplease_?”

This time, even Xander blinked. Shiro immediately groaned. “I knew Siegbert would be the better one to say this. He can make things sound so proper.”

Ryoma leaned over him. “I remember that you two have asked us once before.”

“I know!” Shiro said. “You told us about what we must consider if we truly want one. We did, daddy.” Now he rolled to Ryoma and climbed onto his lap. “We know we will only have more duties in the future, but we will have more liberty to arrange them too. We will make the best schedule for everything.” He raced to let his words out. “And- And we have friends who will be happy to help us take care of the puppy in the really really rare cases when we need help. But of course they are not obliged if the really really rare circumstance is inconvenient in the least-”

Ryoma cut in. “Well, I will only remind you that unlike your training ponies, any pet you take in is solely your responsibility.”

Shiro looked like he wanted to cry _Yes! yes!_ , but he kept his patience and answered properly. “We will always remember, dad.”

Xander nodded. “You and Shiro should talk about this, then come back to us together.”

That was enough hope for their son. He immediately rolled onto all four, looking like an excited puppy himself.  

“Tell your brother not to run in the hallway,” Xander gave one last instruction.

“Yes, sire!” Shiro jumped up onto his feet. He ran off the bed in two steps, and would have continued running had he not remembered his father’s reminder.  

“How are they so cute?” Ryoma finally let out his laughter at the click of the doors. He collapsed sideway and draped his arm over Xander’s stomach. On an impulse, he drew his knees up and imitated the clinging pose of Shiro five minute before. His body shook from laughing at his own antics, which worsened when Xander gave him pinches to the cheek as well.

“It’s too bad that it’s harder for them to ask for a pet than for some other children,” Xander said. “I’m glad they still want to.”

“It’s nice that they know a sleepover can still be requested. It shows their wills,” Ryoma said. No matter how the adults of the royal family tried, it was unavoidable that their children would hear about the stigmas of growing up. They could only guide each to their best and hope that happy decisions would be made at the moments of change.

“Those absurd mindsets,” Xander sighed. “If at fourteen our sons can drink with us through the night, the same people would laud our children as grown men. Ridiculous.” The words were sharp, but his voice remained soft. The pinches had turned into idle petting and it was getting comfortably warm between them. Ryoma was beginning to use the weight of his arms to pull Xander into lying down when Xander’s hand slowed, then stopped all together. He began to move off the bed instead.

Ryoma grumbled, but he was still left behind with only a pillow within his hold. Burying his face into that poor substitute, he waited for his love to come back. But then his ears pick up the sounds of papers rustling. A lot of them. He turned his head up to see that Xander was standing by the desk, disheveled clothes and all, listlessly picking up the different documents – documents that had already been neatly organized to be sent out and put away that day. His hand was browsing through the pages, turning them too quickly for his eyes to read. He seemed to be searching without knowing what he wanted to find.

Ryoma rose up slightly. “You are not going to work now, are you? We have already done everything, the rest is to be picked up during the trip.”

Xander’s reaction was delayed. Moreover, it was a delayed startle. He dropped the papers and turned to Ryoma with a blank look on his face. Then he shook his head. “Stupid me. It’s just forces of habit.” He raised his hands in surrender. “I saw them and automatically thought that I have things to do.”

Ryoma opened his mouth, not sure how to voice his question, but Xander had already caught his intention. His eyes turned apologetic and soothing at the same time. “I’m not, don’t worry. I wouldn’t be able to work even if I try anyway. This morning has been… a lot.”  

 _Overwhelming_ , Ryoma understood at once. They had long become used to the harsh pace of court work, while good things coming in successive was a rarity. Feeling a warm core melting inside him, he proffered a hand to Xander.  

Xander looked at it, his face clearly said that he wanted to take Ryoma’s hand. Still, he paced around for a few more steps before finally able to calm down enough. When he climbed onto the bed, he sat down in the middle of it, facing Ryoma instead of lying alongside him, so Ryoma closed the remaining distance himself, sat up fully and pulled Xander into a hug.

They touched their foreheads and took a couple of breaths together. Xander eventually smiled again, one of those big smiles that had been rare until that morning. “A lot has happened, but I have gotten nothing done myself, that's why I'm a bit lost.”

“The day doesn't start until you see a struggle, I know,” Ryoma said sarcastically.

Xander made a noise of protest but no argument. He raised one hand and lightly touched his jaw. “My face is actually tired from smiling.”

 _Yet it never does from this?_ One of Ryoma’s frequent thoughts resurfaced as he tapped the crease between Xander’s brows. “I don't think you have had to answer so many questions since our sons were five either.”

“And I am already failing to remember what I were asked. Or even what I asked them.”

“I can’t either, but I assure you that nothing other than praises and good news were exchanged. Details about different realms. Details about different people. The wars. Our family and theirs.” Ryoma started to travel down his memory lane, which had been quite crowded that morning. “Half of our morning before that was the ceremony. We spent breakfast talking about the trip tomorrow. Earlier-” He suddenly bursted out laughing at the last thing to come up in his mind. “Oh. Oh, we forgot!” Xander looked at him questioningly, but Ryoma could not stop laughing.  He turned back to look at the bed stand, on which the green booklet still laid, – the sight of it made him even more hysteric. “How long -hic- How long do you think it will be before Laslow learn of that?” He waved his hand at the item. “Ahhh, how proud he surely he will be!”

Xander groaned helplessly upon realization. “I swear I cannot understand.” He buried his face against Ryoma’s neck.

“Even I am besieged by utterly unkingly curiosity every time they publish,” Ryoma hummed. “How long did it take us to reluctantly believe that there isn’t a deeper scheme or joke behind it? Until a year and a half ago?”

“It is only you. I don’t think I will ever be able to believe. I mean…” Xander shook his head. There was a big _Why?_ and a _Why me?_ behind his tone (he never asked _Why you?_ ), but they have gone over the analyses so many times that he should know its futility by heart.

Ryoma grinned. “I still have it carved into my mind your bewildered reaction when you learnt that neither Camilla nor Elise had any clue about this thing. For your own sake, do try to accept that your public image had shot off to another world altogether, Xander. By now, whether that popularity happened because of the paper or the reverse doesn’t matter anymore.”

Xander’s mouth twisted. Ryoma spoke to nip the argument in the bud: “The greatest proof of its natural occurrence is how naturally the public received it. You know why our siblings have stopped questioning. If Elise can hold her curiosity then you can, too.” He raised one finger and shook it at his lover, wearing an expression that was borrowed directly from the young Nohrian princess. “Hunting for an answer would ruin all the fun, Your Majesty.”

“Maybe an actually viable theory-”

“Ruining the fun, Your Majesty,” Ryoma interjected, shaking his finger more pointedly. Xander huffed out a laugh and caught the hand. He had blushed slightly, just like every time they discussed this topic. Ryoma shifted forward to sit on of Xander’s lap and pressed his lips on where the color was deepest. Under those kisses, he felt the stretch of a smile.

“Think of what other great things have happened this morning and over the years. Doesn’t _The Insider_ match the trend perfectly for you?” Ryoma murmured. He kissed that smile, slowly, throughoutly, until Xander gasped against his mouth. He tightened his hold around Xander’s waist, his hand slid under the thin shirt. Against his palms was flesh so firm and warm, so responsive to the adoration in his caresses.  

Xander let out a needing sound and pushed his tongue against Ryoma’s, gentle as ever, yet eager and sensuous. His hands gripped Ryoma’s thighs, pulling him until their bodies were flushed against each other. When they finally broke their kiss, it was to trail their lips on each other’s neck and shoulders. Their cheeks brushed by each other, their hands intertwined between them. Their cocks had hardened. Filled with the urge to tease, Ryoma hummed and thrusted his hip.

Xander turned his face up to look at him, eyes very dark. Ryoma kissed the corner of his eye. “How shall I please you?” Xander asked. He traced his thumb from Ryoma’s lips to his chin, then further down, until his palm was gently pressing over the pulses on Ryoma’s neck.

“It is done.” Ryoma grinned and booped Xander’s nose. “I simply wanted some of this happy glow.”

Xander huffed out a laugh at that. Ryoma had no objection when he was kissed once more, even hotter than before. He cradled Xander’s face, pleased when heat spiked between them, when Xander undid his hadajuban and splayed both hands over his chest. He hummed with the thumps of heartbeats quickening in their breasts. Grinding their cocks together more insistently, Ryoma let pleasure lead him and suggest to him. Whatever Xander wanted, he would be pleased with. Finishing like this would be nice, something more involved would be _very nice_. From where they were, there were options aplenty...

Except Xander were carrying them closer to the edge of the bed. He was sliding out from under Ryoma.

“Xander. Love,” Ryoma protested, nipping at Xander’s jaw to keep him. Xander only answered by pushing Ryoma into leaning back and trailing his lips down along Ryoma’s torso. He pulled at Ryoma’s clothes until Ryoma was more naked than not, kissing and biting until his Ryoma groaned and stay still. When he finally sat up, his eyes were filled with desire and certainty, though he was also flushing red and biting his lower lip. He placed one hand on Ryoma’s crotch, palming him through the fundoshi. Using the other hand, he began to unbutton his vest with what Ryoma could only call maddening patience. Slowly exhaling to still himself, Ryoma watched, his cock throbbing. His eyes flicked to the standing mirror behind Xander. “Keep your shirt on,” he managed.

Xander reddened further. He nodded and took off his pants next, then leaned down to lick and mouth along Ryoma’s body, moving backward until he was kneeling on the floor, his arms pressing down Ryoma’s thighs. He pressed his nose into Ryoma’s pubic hair while his hands pulled the fundoshi away, leaving wet kisses for each inch of skin revealed. Ryoma made a noise as heat bursted from his gut, coursing in waves through his limbs and turning his vision white at the edge. Xander was licking along his entire length, teasing the curves and the slit with tongue and lips alike, the corner of his mouth curving up shyly when Ryoma’s cock twitched repeatedly to his coaxing.

Finally, he returned to lick the thick head, then drew it into his mouth. He let the moist warmth wrapped around the cock for some moments, only the edge of his lips truly touching any skin, then began to bob his head. Ryoma gasped, groaning as even more heat rushed toward his lower half. Pressed tightly against Xander’s tongue and the roof of his mouth, he could feel their minute rises and falls along with Xander’s breaths. In the mirror he caught the sight of Xander’s broad back and shoulders between his legs, the contrast of the strong legs and toned arse showing under the loose tail of the thin shirt, as well as his own ruined expression. Growling from all the stimulations, Ryoma briefly shut his eyes. Not that he would feel any less of the throughout care that way – he knew that and was helpless. It was the most baffling, mystifying power Xander had over him, Ryoma thought, how the loving nature of Xander’s passion could spark such raging lust within his veins.

Blinking his eyes opened, he found Xander looking up straight at him, waiting for him, red lips wrapped tightly around his cock.

Xander started to swirl his tongue.  

Ryoma groaned, thrusting forward slightly. Xander simply opened up his throat and took it, deeper and deeper, until it wasn’t Ryoma asking anymore but Xander claiming what he wanted, until Ryoma shook and moaned at the slow squeezes and releases of Xander’s throat. His ears rang. Dimly he heard a deep sound, maybe from himself, maybe from Xander. Pleasure kept lapping against his senses; his eyes held Xander’s gaze almost in a daze. He pushed himself up a little, and at once his pulses shot up at the sight of Xander’s cock standing rock hard between the white folds of fabric, red and glistening with dripping precome. “Xander, you need to touch yourself or come up here right now,” choking out a groan, Ryoma pleaded. He pawed at the shoulders of Xander’s shirt until Xander rose up and was in his embrace once more. Xander moaned into their messy kiss, desperate arms wrapped around Ryoma tightly. It made Ryoma let out a shuddering breath and his heart tremble in rapture. Really, really, he was the one who should be undone with arousal here.

Soon, he had pushed Xander into a stable sitting position and straddled Xander’s hips. Without needing to think, he took away the shirt and coated lube around Xander’s fingers. All he cared about was to have Xander inside him, to kiss deeply and drink down each sound that rose to Xander’s lips, to run his fingers through Xander’s hair, to let his mind plunge into a drunken state with the bites he was leaving on Xander’s shoulders and Xander was leaving on his chest.

Inside him, the gentle thrusts of Xander’s fingers were awakening sensations beyond what his mind could track. Curious thrills, sensitive throbs, sheer pleasure, all twisting and mixing with anticipation to overwhelm him with sudden bursts of bliss. They built up within Ryoma, nearly pushing him over the edge. Shaking and letting out a hitching laughter, he reached down to stop Xander’s wrist. He then took Xander’s cock, stroking it to comfort as well as to tease.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other. Xander’s hair was turning quickly, not to the dull grey of Garon’s, but to the bright white that had been known to appear in his maternal relatives at early ages. Already, Ryoma could spot a couple of them in Xander’s eyelashes, but the eyes that turned up to meet his stare were brighter than anything.

They fluttered closed when Ryoma leaned down to press a kiss on each eyelid. A small smile bloomed on Xander's lips, widening as the next kisses moved along his nose and the apples of his cheeks. Ryoma’s hands kneaded the muscles on Xander’s shoulders, reached around to splay on the shoulder blades and to scrape with blunt nails. He looked up at the mirror once more to take in Xander’s back. Here, too, now bore a masterpiece. It was the work of art that Ryoma was proudest of, even though he drew not one line of it. The royal ink master, also his long-time friend, had given him endless complaints about his ambition for this, the fusion of Nohrian and Hoshidan aesthetics notwithstanding. The old man had then spent countless hours drafting the design and creating new pigments to reach his own impossible standards of what would “fit a king of King Xander's caliber”, as if there was some kind of distinction from what Ryoma had been given.

But there truly was a different tier, Ryoma later understood. He always thought of that at moments like this.

Crouching in the mountain snowscape, the white lion looked straight at him with calm azure eyes. With ease it rested, watched, dominated. There were only whites and blues, yet Ryoma thought he could find all shades of light in that image – icy sparks blinking on blades of glass, sunlight skirting on the magnificent mane, a warm glow emanating from the dignified face and powerful curves of the body. Ryoma loved the energy that pulled him in. He also loved that everything made Xander’s skin pinker and his hair shine. The words Ryoma would use were that it suited Xander delightfully, elegantly. Even after having known it long and intimately, his heart was still stirred to infatuation every single time.

Xander knew he was being looked at. “You are so taken with that,” he murmured, more stating than accusing.

“Just thinking about how glad I am that you wanted this,” Ryoma hummed. He lowered himself onto Xander’s cock, tensing up a little as pleasure ran up his spine.

Xander gripped Ryoma’s hips, driving up harder and harder until they both let out a moan. He kept the pace and the precision, his face pressed against Ryoma’s chest, his shuddering breaths brushed over Ryoma’s thumping heart. “I thought that you would like the idea of me having one.”

It took a moment for Ryoma to realize that they were still on the topic. “Because you like mine?”

Again, Xander did not answer immediately. “That was the main reason and the one you know. What I’m talking about is that… I think it pleases you to surround me with your presence.”

“These rooms fit you, our clothes suit you,” Ryoma grinned. A hard thrust made him gasp and chuckle. He pushed down against Xander in return; his inside throbbed, clenched, wrenching pleasurable growls out of their throats.

“You have given me one whole library, which I love,” Xander panted, “Trinkets to distract me from my endless work, which have saved me numerous times. But may I make a rough estimation of two hundred wooden sculptures, Ryoma…”

Ryoma barked out a laugh. “I have intimate knowledge of a king’s need for paperweights.” He held Xander’s head and kissed his temple. His reply was light, but he had seen Xander’s deeper point as soon as it was voiced. Ryoma was aware of his penchant for gift-giving. Over the years, he had inserted a lot of himself into Xander’s world in this way, perhaps because he always felt Xander’s presence in his mind and heart, because he always felt the visceral need to give back what he had received, even though they could only be tokens of appreciation.

Xander ran his palms up Ryoma’s back and buried his fingers into the thick hair. “What I feel is that you have made as much as a home for me,” he breathed against Ryoma’s lips. “Not my father’s, not my ancestor’s, but one I can call my own.” He pulled Ryoma’s neck down for a deep kiss. The sweetness of it flooded Ryoma’s chest. His heart sighed with thoughts of gratitude, humbleness, triumph. Freedom was what they had always wanted to help each other reach, freedom was what they had received in kind.

Tremendous pleasure gripped around him, so good he felt the hair on his nape raising. Ryoma threw his head back, grinning as he gasped. He drove the rhythm faster, pulling tighter moans out of Xander. A loud groan pushed out of him when Xander grabbed his cock and stroked firmly; stars bursted before his vision. He was probably pressing his nails into Xander’s shoulders; he tried to stop, to remedy, to soothe, but all that he knew was more fervor coiling around his nerves. Xander did not help – his touch was so passionate, his voice so dear. “Ryoma- Ah! Ryoma!” Xander called him, giving him everything within those syllables. Ryoma came with a shout, half-risen from Xander’s laps and spilling between their chests and stomachs. He shuddered and hummed when he felt Xander coming hotly on his lower back.

Slowly, Ryoma pushed Xander down on the bed. He turned sideway and laid his head on Xander’s stomach.

They reached for each other’s hand. “So… which of us is going to tell our sons that their puppy is already waiting for them in Krakenburg?” Xander asked after a while.

“You say it like there are different options.” Ryoma chuckled. “Whatever you have in mind, just know that I refuse to let you pretend like you did not arrange practically everything.”

“I thought I would try my luck,” Xander muttered.

“Your power of denial has long expired. The more you try to cling to it, the more people will use it to tease you.” Ryoma grinned and scooted up a little to lay his head over Xander’s chest. The slow beats lulled him.  

Xander loosely wrapped an arm around Ryoma and closed his eyes. “I doubt the teasing could get much worse than now.”

“But I think you are actually quite happy,” Ryoma continued to provoke. He closed his eyes as well.

“That’s so true that it can't even invoke any sarcasm,” Xander’s voice was soft. “I feel marvelous, Ryoma.”

~*~*~

\-------

They set off on the trip on the next morning. Soon, a strange feeling settled over Xander. Their first stops were provinces where he had visited before, places that were populated, closely linked to the businesses of the capital, and overseen by people that he had established good relationships with. These meetings slowly set him at ease. It was when he began to meet more communities of Hoshido that he felt a different atmosphere from usual. Without heavy agendas and expectations, the leaders were less tense toward the touring party and vice versa. It wasn’t that fewer difficult topics were discussed, but negotiations were simply smoother, compromises better achieved, and inspirations more easily found than he had ever known. When he would later look back to this period, he would notice that he had gained quite a number of pen pals from this journey.

The overall pace was intense, but Xander felt invigorated. From a different perspective, it was also the first time that he had gone on a trip with his whole extended family. He realized, belatedly and to his own amusement, that he had never had so much time with Ryoma either. Camilla had brought her three eldest children, who were past fifteen, and he had grown close to them too. Of all things, it was actually the children that created the greatest difference for him in term of mindset. The trip had allowed Xander time to focus on observing and listening to the next generation. He had learned a lot from his sons, but having a big group of youth around brought the dynamic to a whole new level.

It was around two weeks into the trip when Shiro and Siegbert first asked to sleep with their fathers – the first time they had asked for that in quite a while. The boys were full of questions, and even fuller of thoughts that they could not articulate easily. For this trip, they had taken their learning more seriously than ever and had found themselves quickly overwhelmed. It was particularly challenging for them because foreign concepts were coming not only from the residents of Hoshido but also from their Vallite relatives, whom they loved dearly but had not had the chance to talk as much as they wanted. Furthermore, there were the ‘old friends’ of Xander, Camilla, and Leo, who were peculiar as well as well-traveled. Flooded with unfamiliar opinions, problems, and unknowns, the boys had to turn to their fathers for both guidance and comfort.

Three weeks later, another guest with unique perspective joined the traveling group: Lady Varenil, the Duchess of Nestra. The position of Nestra had changed considerably along with the revival of the relationship between three kingdoms. If Nestra was once known for the sophistication of their arts, now they stood out even more for the well-rounded approach to everything with regards to arts – evaluation, education, commercialization, all of which had been elevated by a systematic approach toward policy making, regional branding, and diplomacy. With that, their financial activities had developed to a level that could inspire both weariness and awe. Nestra was a major lender for the Meruhen tunnel. Moreover, they proposed that the middle chamber of the tunnel be decorated and had fully sponsored that decoration, a decision that had surprised all other territories, Nohr and Hoshido included. In their words, it was to show their trust toward the growing bond between the two kingdoms, as well as the idea that partnership was the future of the continent. Xander believed that they did it as another way to leave their mark in history. He had no objection to this new direction, especially in consideration of their past attempt on the same goal. Of all neutral territories, Nestra was also one of the more proactive states in forging an amicable relationship with Valla. Even though neither him nor Ryoma had arrived at a true friendship with the Duchess or the old Duke after these years, they had at least achieved mutual respect.

The arrival of Duchess Varenil timed with the beginning of the portion dedicated to the tunnel project. Xander noticed as soon as the ground changed into paved road of high quality, with colors unique to the rocks of this mountain part. Many patches had become shiny from frequent use; other had vibrant color, showing that they were recent repairs. From Shirasagi, the company had traveled clockwise around Hoshido and ended up at the northwest uplands of the kingdom. To the west of this was where the mountain was narrowest, the geology was most suitable for tunnel construction, and the connection between Hoshido and Nohr’s major highways was convenient. While military forces would try to reduce time with the riskier route that started from the plains of Hoshido and cut through the middle of the mountain range, it was the northwest mountain pass that was more popular for traders and civilians. Of course, until the peace between Nohr and Hoshido was reestablished, this popularity had only been historical. The pass had become one with the wilderness for more than a decade by then. The Meruhen project had begun with the rebuilding of the road, which satisfied urgent civilian and diplomatic needs. Coupled with Ryoma and Xander’s aggressive advocacy for other bilateral activities, this move had resulted in the trade boost that directly justified the making of the tunnel.

Peace had become the new norm. Even as a champion of this idea, Xander had still felt breathless when it became true. When the project started, he had used the name Meruhen for both hope and cynicism; it was one way for him to be honest about his feelings toward this dream to his subjects. The project was indeed perceived with both in the beginning, but the second implication had faded from people’s minds and conversations over time. This was the truest indication of their growing faith. The rather strange name had stuck, and the tunnel was never given something loftier of an official name.

From the people that Xander met on the road this time, that name was uttered with pride and a familial affection. _We know this route and this area like the back of our hand,_ they seemed to say. _You built it? Well done. But compared to us, who walk, ride, live, and love this road? We are its true owners. Good job clearing the weed, now watch us tend to this garden._ Almost every interaction elated him. The sweetest, most surprising of them were whenever a Nohrian merchant came directly to the Hoshidan royals to tell them how bright and beautiful their kingdom was. The Hoshidan merchants, immensely pleased by these praises, would then turn to look at the Nohrian royals with fond eyes and, if they were brave, return the favoring words with equal enthusiasm.

At one point, Xander realized that his days were all filled with strange and beautiful moments. For him, this trip was supposed to celebrate the beginning of an end to a long effort, a two-decade-stretch of learning and maturation. Yet it was as if all the growing up was only now crystalized inside him, finally giving to him a clear understanding of what changes had been welcomed by the people and how they intended to make their own future from those.

It wasn’t only traders that the company met. On both sides of the mountain, two large groups of workers had been working tirelessly and thus two towns had emerged. As a result, artisans, traveling teachers, provincial guards had been frequenting the area and some had chosen to make a home there. Many families had been formed; a second generation was growing up, soon to become adults themselves. Small villages had also appeared along the route to benefit from the traffic. Some of these, interestingly, were Hoshidan farming communities that grew wheat as commodity instead of being completely self-sustained with rice.

This small but young and active population had changed the region entirely, transforming it from a forgotten remote area into one whose name was mentioned in societies as far away as Nestra.

It was an early May morning when the company left the Hoshidan worker town at the base of the mountain. From there, they followed the road upward the mountain for an hour, until they reached a fork in the road. They stopped here to rest and, more importantly, to acknowledge an important location. In the middle of the wilderness, surrounded by towering ancient trees and rocky mountain sides, two paths laid before their eyes. Going slightly left was the familiar paved road, the weathered one that would quickly increase in steepness and become a dirt road within half a day of travel. Follow it, and the wind would be more treacherous, the rocks would become much smaller, all greenery within view would eventually turn into small thorny bushes. Travelers who chose this route would have to navigate sharp ridges and hanging cliffs, their mind always calculating the distances to known water creeks and sheltering caves, their eyes looking out for signs of thunderclouds threatening to pull over the barren mountainscape. With luck they would reach the Nohrian worker town after three days, a week for a mercantile company using mules.

To the right was a wider, newer road, pristine under a layer of natural and construction dust. It hugged around the mountain and would lead them to the tunnel, where a traveler could cross to Nohr ten times faster without being subjected to the risks of exhaustion, losing the way, severe weather, robbers, or wild animals.

At the road fork, more Hoshidan provincial soldiers were guarding today than usual. They all cheered when the royal company arrived and eagerly answered any question presented to them. The mood quickly became jovial, jokes after jokes brought about boisterous laughter that enlivened the desolated area. It was only the climbing sun that reminded everyone to set off again. The members lingered in conversations as they slowly returned to their vehicles. Xander and Ryoma startled when the door of their carriage opened again after they had sat down. Ína popped her head in, her body was already in the middle of climbing and she still giggling from a previous talk.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the kings. “Oops, wrong carriage. I’m so sorry, Your Majesties!” she whooped with a big grin.

“No need to be. You are welcome to stay with these old men,” Ryoma grinned back.

The girl opened her mouth for what seemed like a joke, but then startled and looked back as if suddenly noticing that someone was standing behind her. Whoever it was, they made Ína blink and froze for a moment. She stared at them, and Xander assumed from the silence that they stared back with firm intention, for the young girl then moved into the carriage with reluctance.

The second person to climb on was the Duchess of Nestra.

With the passage of time, the decade difference between their ages should no longer have any effect on Xander, yet he still felt a small uneasiness whenever he faced Lady Varenil, like a sense of caution toward the unfathomable. The Lady had started giving her hair a mint tint in recent years, which combined with her rose gold frames to make a disarmingly sprightly look. What Xander’s gaze focused on, however, were her keen grey eyes and the little smirk on her lips.

He could practically hear the raised eyebrows when Ryoma spoke up next to him. “Welcome. I hope you are enjoying yourself, Lady Varenil.”

“Hoshido is a gorgeous land with gorgeous people, Your Majesty,” the Duchess began without much pleasantry. “I wished I had begged you to let me join you on this journey from its very start. Well, frankly, I wished I was your friend,” her smirk twisted, “Then I would not have to try imposing on your hospitality or come whining to you like this.”

The direct assertion made Xander froze up for a moment. Across from him, Ína’s eyes bulged.

It was Ryoma who managed to continue being a perfect host. “You are too modest; we would have been delighted to have you with us at any time. You are always one step ahead in so many fields. I have been thinking that it is a shame the Duke could not come on this trip as well,” he said, repeating what he had said dozens of times in the past week.

The diplomatic answer usually settled the matter, but this time the Duchess seemed determined to get at whatever heavy topic she had in mind. “It’s only his ego that prevented him from coming,” she spoke coolly, completely opposite to the graceful reply that she often gave. She let a moment pass for dramatic effect, then continued with greater excitement. “He can’t stand to see the beauty of your lands and the brilliant hope of your people. Your triumphs are too large,” she suddenly turned to Xander, “Especially yours, Your Majesty. I told myself that I must see the Kingdom of Nohr in its entirety. The Duke doesn’t have the courage to see your achievements with his own eyes, but I do. I will see how Nohr has pull herself out of the past and now pull ahead.” She stared at them with bright eyes, as if entreating them to ask questions and engage. “Do you know why we proposed to sponsor the decoration of the tunnel?”

The kings took a moment to weigh the proposal. “We would love to learn,” Xander spoke up first. He had answered faster than his usual self would. There  wasn’t just curiosity for the topic, it was the Lady’s attitude that intrigued him. For the first time, he wondered if she was asking for a heart-to-heart.

The look in the Lady’s eyes turned almost feverish under the attention. “Because this construction will be the greatest of its kind for hundreds of years. If there is one of such scale and importance, then of course Nestra needs to put her name on it. If there is art involved, then Nestra _must be the one to do it._ We can’t afford to let this opportunity fall into the hand of anyone else.” She stopped there but looked as if there was much still left unsaid. Her forceful stare was quietly pushing an answer. _Do you understand? Really understand?_ It begged.

Xander did. The force of her emotion was what truly conveyed the message. He sat still as the implication sank in, as his mind built a clearer image of the ambition of Nestra. Despite the enormous amount of work that Nestra had done with Hoshido and Nohr, he still often wondered where laid the difference between the desires of Nestrian leaders and those of her subjects. Was the passion of the Duke and the Duchess driving the Dukedom’s transformation, or was it the other way around? He had never felt confident about understanding the aspirations of this nation.

Besides him, Ryoma leaned back a little. “I see,” a quiet mutter, then nothing more.

The lack of reaction pulled Varenil back. She looked between them, deflated, then wry. “Ah, you have become guarded,” she sighed. “I apologize, Sire, in my earnestness I have come off as pushy and unpleasant. Please believe me, I just want to offer my personal congratulations to you. My genuine admiration toward your fruitful friendship, as well.” She sat up straight. In a rough movement, she took off her glasses and dropped them into her red silk clutch. Unadorned with the frame, her eyes were revealed to be starkly weary, surrounded by pale lashes and deep creases. They looked at Xander and through him, while the only remaining show of emotion was on the Lady’s lips – a frozen thin smile of expected disappointment.

It was a sight that made Xander suddenly want to have the conversation. Before him was an unfamiliar personality, but one that was probably truer than any he had known from the Duchess. “In the Kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido, we have always looked to Nestra as the land of the muses,” he ventured. “If I may speak my simplistic view, I have often seen your lovely nation as one with much freedom. You may not have the amount of land or people that Nohr does, but you nurture the arts in ways we can only dream of, and your flexibility in everything else is a lesson to all of us.”

Now he felt the attention of all three people in the carriage. The Duchess seemed to be in a pause, looking at him as if contemplating her options and rearranged her thoughts. She was reluctant after the assumed rejection – an oscillation in attitude that spoke of impulse. It led Xander to feel more certain about his initiative and, at the same time, began to sense a hint of connection between him and the Duchess. “So perhaps we should speak more freely,” he opened the door a little more, “I think I may understand what it means for one nation to be fascinated with another, though I would suspect that your feelings would be more contrary than similar to Nohr’s complicated feelings toward Hoshido. Why would you look at us?” It was a bold prompt from him. He heard an amused huff of laughter from Ryoma. Next to the Duchess, Ína raised her eyebrows to exaggeration. She had tucked her hands between her knees and was as trying to reduce her physical presence as much as possible, though probably not because of fear but because she did not want to interrupt the drama.

At last, the Duchess shook her head and laughed as well. “I intruded into your carriage with audacity, yet now I don’t even know how to follow up. Where do I start? Ah, Sire, you speak of arts.” She sniffed, “We are indeed the land of arts. As leader I am proud to have come from a land of heritage; I am determined to keep our title as true possible. Nevertheless, if we are to start from this front, I must tell you that there are arts of the kingdoms that Nestra can’t produce – not in the traditions of styles, which of course we can only imitate, but in the spirit. This may sound like a crude idea, but as we stay confined within the space and identity of a Dukedom, we can’t forget that Nohr and Hoshido are bearer of grander visions, grander struggles, grander ideals. Our artists long for the feeling of being awed by their own homeland, for the fleeting pride of owning vast stretches of sky, land, sea, but all that they have are fantasies, cultivated by traveling and borrowing from others’ realities. Glory is embedded in your existence, no matter how you have been trying to pull your subjects back from the extremes of that word. From what we call our beautiful shore, we have been looking at you with great envies, because there is no such thing as the glory of Nestra.”

“You probably think that I am misguided. You are thinking of the Duke’s pact with King Garon, of the calculative attitude we showed during the transition to peacetime. Those had proven to harm us in the long run, we had had to learn hard lessons, and here I must make a distinction between the Duke’s approach and mine. The glory that the Duke aimed for was partially a product of his time. In his own twisted way, the Duke loves Nestra selfishly. He has done much for our land but failed her in the end, after which he could not get up. He regrets not making shrewder pacts. He regrets not seeing more hope. He regrets not having been born two decades late, so that he could be a young man in this exciting new age, to watch the world you are trying to build and race with you. The competition is so much worthier now. Pity that old man, Your Majesties. I’m only better because I am younger and has experienced that rocky time before becoming Duchess.”

Xander exhaled at this. The words touched him deeply. To be fair, Nestra’s proactiveness was admirable. They had been given little information during the war, and when peace started the Kingdoms had shown clear signs of secrecy. It was only expected that Nestra would be cautious and resentful. Yet the Dukedom was also among the first to trade with Nohr again, to risk investing in Nohr’s bigger and bigger ambitions, so that now it stood far above all other small territories in terms of trading power with the kingdoms. If he was in the Duke and Duchess’ place, he wouldn’t dare to claim that he could do half as well.

“Forget about the Duke and our blunders,” Varenil continued, “The frustration of our people remains. Our people are too aware of the shadows of two giant neighbors for their own good. I’m sure you know that the Duke has a reputation of pushing Nestrian pride a little too hard. For a lot of Nestra, it wasn’t so. When the Duke sent me to your university in my younger years, he wanted me to learn from how you would grow. Why not the honorable, prosperous Hoshido? Because Nestra was not trying to attain wealth; our land has already blessed us with that and we had ways to get more. Pardon the truth that I must speak: we learned from Nohr because our nations shared a darkness of envy. There was great semblance between our hungry ambitions, only that Nohr’s has been even longer, deeper, more desperate. We wanted to know what you would become with those human aspirations.”

Unconsciously, Xander nodded. He had not forgotten the faces of Nohr that had been revealed after the direst of their hunger and poverty were relieved – dismissal of how far they had come, derision of their potentials, complaints that they were either too slow or too hasty, mixed with cries for festivals and monuments and other forms of premature celebrations. The exaggerations in both doubt and optimism spoke of a deeply rooted anxiety: would they ever leave their past behind, would they ever be able to compare with their neighbor? Would Nohr ever get to feel secure within her own self? Why, even the tunnel was born under the disguise of satisfying some people’s desire to look a bit taller than others.

Something must have shown on his face. Varenil smiled at him, her eyes had become animated once more. “Again, I said all that not so much to question you as to salute to your achievement. Whether purposeful or coincidentally, you have carved out a path that is reasonable, meet the vitals of your subjects’ needs, and hold just enough promise of meeting the rest of those needs to keep everyone motivated. It is an amazing transformation that gives me the shivers, for I have lived the Nohr of your youth with you. Never in my imagination could I think that your kingdom would blossom in this way. This have been left unsaid for too long, but I will describe to you how the leadership of Nohr looked as it emerged from the war: throughoutly changed, unfathomable, unashamed, undeterred from reversing conventions. Not to mention that you came back full of vitality and with an incredible friendship. The Duke and I call the whole thing a work of art, one that we stared at in awe and horror,” she winked. “One that we scrambled to catch up and emulate as soon as we realized its geniosity. The rise of Nestra today is thanks to that inspiration. We started seeking and finally found something to please and distract ourselves from the longing for sheer power.”

The glowing yet teasing words had Xander smiled back and inclined his head. “You have far surpassed us, I assure you. Your observations alone are enough to make me feel small and unlearned. If I am to describe how I look at the results my leadership from the inside, I must use your very words: horror and awe. I can only think of one explanation for my success-”

“Ah ah, I know what you are about to say,” Varenil cut in and shook her head at him, “It is always lovely to hear you praise the people you have been blessed with, and I would love to blame everything you have on your social luck, but having witnessed your journey till now, I would sooner believe in extraordinary effort than extraordinary fortune.”

Ína laughed audibly at this. Instantly horrified, she tried to stifle the sounds, but the last of the tension had been broken, and Ryoma and the Duchess readily joined in with laughter. His words taken right out of his mouth, Xander merely nodded with a faint smile. “Let me blame my success on the same thing in a different way then.” He sent a reassuring look toward the apologetic girl. “I was indeed no stranger to the dark hunger that you speak of, Lady Varenil. I was fed with that most insistently while growing up. What happened at the end the war that changed everything? A crisis, madam. Circumstances showed to me that all conventional paths would lead straight to hell, so I jumped on the very next viable one that appeared. It appeared out of those around me, as Ína’s teacher will gladly tell you the long story.” He indicated his hand toward the girl in a gesture of mock revenge. “The enormous efforts you speak of have been made simply to cling to that risky choice of mine.”

They laughed in unison this time. The road was becoming steeper under the wheels of the carriage. The wind outside had picked up, now singing a reminder that they were in a vast wilderness, but the atmosphere among the four people was warm with good humor. The awkward difference born from their backgrounds, from their past relationships or lack thereof had somehow created a level ground for them. The greatest change was visible in the Duchess. “Hah, it feels good to be able admit inferiority,” she laughed with self-depreciation, her expression free of the restraints of formality. “Please let me speak from an outside perspective again. I have repeatedly told myself to believe that the causes of your success are plain to see. I know how your agents listen and make careful decisions, I should know exactly where their guidance come from. But the simple truth is truly the hardest lesson to learn. Thank you for tolerating me with grace.” Turning to Ína, she slightly bowed her head. “My apology, I must have made you feel very uncomfortable. For the short time we have been in company, I have seen that you are far from an ordinary young lady. You have my respect.”

The royal treatment made Ína froze with wide eyes, but she quickly recovered. Giggling and shaking her head, she boldly patted the Duchess’s hands. “Oh you must have a good talk my teacher, madam. You would befriend so quickly!”

“That illustrates how I must beg to differ with you, Lady Varenil,” Xander spoke up. “Nothing can replace conversation. The understanding that you have given me today is invaluable, I can only wish that we will be able to share more in the future.” The lady’s analysis had in fact came like a revelation as well as a validation for him. How he saw the latent effects of the old mindset in Nohrian society, how he wondered about the struggle within a people’s identity – he had always shared those thoughts with Ryoma, but had never dreamt that they could be confirmed by someone equal in experience.

In a smooth movement, Ryoma suddenly leaned forward. “May I ask one thing, madam,” his deep voice was laced with interest. “Do you think Hoshido has changed much from before the war? Looking back, does our partnership with Nohr still surprise you, or does it looks like a simple return to our previous treatment toward a peaceful ally?

Both Xander and the Duchess had to spend a moment thinking about this. “I will have to explain this in a rather roundabout way. I hope it will make sense,” Varenil said at last. “I can only repeat what others have told me about your father’s reign. King Sumeragi’s style was remarked as daring, charming, and inspiring. He was noted for personally initiating and handling many projects, not to mention keeping friendly and frequent correspondence with anyone he appreciated, nobles and commoners alike. Queen Mikoto was quite similar in this aspect. On the surface, both Your Majesty and King Xander are achieving the same things in your own way. Yet again, if we take out the leaders, take out you and your father so that we only compare the big pictures of the systems, I think your court has evolved a tighter feedback line and order of responsibility. I have found myself and my officers forming much closer working relationships with the courts of Nohr and Hoshido than the Duke had. It is lovely when leaders come together and get things running, but it is actually better when understanding is cultivated between our officers, is it not?” The Duchess raised her hand to cover a wide grin. “Hm, what am I supposed answer again? To put it shortly, while I don’t find your partnership with Nohr surprising, I know that Hoshido is not treating anything the same as before.”

 _Beautiful words, Lady Varenil._ Xander knew those concise observations had told Ryoma what he needed. Ryoma seemed to be glowing, his eyes sparkled and his lips stretched into a grateful smile.

Still, there was a shadow in that. Xander knew why, too.

“You have made a distinction that I am thankful for.” Ryoma sat back and took a deep breath before continuing, “Ever since I heard you talk of the distinction between your rank and the will of Nestra, I have hoped that you would make it. As I listen to you and King Xander discuss about embracing and steering the aspirations of your people, I can’t help but think of something else I have witnessed. When I was young, the leadership of my parents were considered exemplary to the point of perfection. Not only was the court dependent on that, we became complacent in the belief of our moral imperative. It united us but also doomed us. In the long years that followed my father’s passing, our perspective toward Nohr began and ended with the aggressions of King Garon against Hoshido. We got more and more wrapped up in what we called a noble hatred; it was impossible for us to see the people of both Hoshido and Nohr without imposing the prejudices of the ruling class on them, no matter how my mother tried to prevent it. As soon as my mother was gone and the situation escalated, this mindset threatened to push us down a path of no return. I had to meet many people to realize that we were misguided, and even then I was out of order – only after I suspected of being wrong did I seek out the Hoshidans who could tell me what my people truly wanted. So I will add that the reason King Xander success, that you have and you will continue to success, madam, is the wisdom to look outward.”

The carriage fell into contemplative silence. Lady Varenil looked down, nodding to herself for a short while. When she turned her eyes up, her gaze showed resolution. “What you say have far-reaching implications,” the Lady said. “Recently, I have often been occupied with thoughts about who will be the next true leaders of Nestra. The world is changing very fast, I have come to believe that it is only up to fate whether they will be among those I have had the chance to pick and guide.”

“Even with our hierarchies, we can only hope,” Ryoma smiled. “For the same question, all we can do is to teach the youngs in our family to learn about life and reach out to everyone with an open mind. Perhaps our successors will lead the next developments of the kingdoms; perhaps they will be the ones who aid others in doing so. In reality, we pray that both will happen.”

Lady Varenil nodded approvingly. “Yours is a lesson that I need to learn from. Thank you.” She tilted her head to one side, then suddenly beamed. “All this appreciative probing… Is this how the two of you started?”    

Ryoma just chuckled and took Xander’s hand in his, holding it in his lap.

Xander met Ína’s twinkling eyes; both raised their eyebrows in an exchange of humor. Somehow, the girl’s presence had been the most poignant reminder of the peculiarity of the talk, while her easy acceptance and quiet confidence throughout the whole thing had served as a source of encouragement for their honesty. During their conversation, Xander’s mind had sometimes wandered to the imagination of another of his sibling sitting there with them. Would the young Azura stay absolutely cool, hiding her tumults and sadness inside? Would the young Corrin try to remain calm but unable to contain her opinions? Would Leo quietly make his thoughts known to Xander via deep frowns and constant twists of the mouth? None would be so free as the girl before him, just as the young Xander would be tense and wary. Xander was reminded once more of the ease with which he welcomed new elements into his life now, this girl and the Duchess included. He realized that where he used to count such things toward potentials and responsibilities, now he has started to see them as accomplishments. In a corner of his mind, an idea sparked. He thought he had caught a glimpse of a good beginning to an end, an initial understanding of retirement as a state of being.

The carriage lurched to a stop at that point.

“Uhm, the tunnel is just ahead of us, Your Majesties, my lady.” Their driver spoke up, voice hesitant. “But there is also a beautiful scenery outside, maybe you would like to take a look first.” It appeared that other carriages were stopping as well. They heard the sounds of the children gasping and cheering with admiration, then similar sounds from the adults.

Xander pulled the curtain, then pushed opened the door when he saw part what was happening. The four of them gasped at the world before their eyes, words and worries about the states instantly pushed out of their minds. They quickly descended without word and joined the others on the road, all looked upward in reverence. Over the long mountain ridge towering before them, cloud was streaming down like a giant waterfall. Sunlight skirted over the top, painting shifting curves of gold and pink, teasing to their minds the silhouettes of floating lands and heavenly castles. White cloud rolled elegantly down the mountain side like soft locks of hair swaying in a breeze, flowing continuously toward them but never reaching the ground, never within their touch. Weaving in and out of the white fog were shadows of wild kinshis flying in pairs, their sweet voices echoed across the sky.

A languid, dreamy sight, overwhelming in its cosmic beauty.

They watched until the wind began to pick up and the stream of cloud slightly dissipated under the sunlight. “I guess we are still stuck with borrowing inspirations from your kingdoms,” the Duchess sighed. “My envy knows no end, Your Majesties.”

“Please don’t be so sad, my lady! You are awesome, I like everything you said.” Ína tucked at her sleeve. At the amused smile that the Duchess sent in reply, the girl became even more chirpy. “Come on, that’s a great thing! Believe me, because I have traveled loads too. Ah, I know what you must consider, you should totally go on a trip with my teacher-”

“I think I will be pleasantly surprised.” The Duchess laughed, her eyes flicked between the girl and the kings. “The day has inspired me to give myself more surprises. May I be introduced to lady Nyx?”

Ína cheered and, also giving Xander and Ryoma a knowing look, curtseyed to them with a grin. “Thank you for letting me listen to your discussion. Ína will return your privacy now.”

Ryoma waved a hand in goodbye. “I wholly believe in your power to persuade Lady Varenil and your teacher to grant your desire, but I hope you won’t be too eager to start your next adventure as soon as we reach Krakenburg. Do grace us with a short stay after this trip end.”

As the Duchess and Ína walked away, already engaging in an animated conversation, Ryoma muttered to Xander, “They would make one hell of a trio. Just the idea of them banding up makes me feel old.”

His flat tone made Xander laugh. When they came back to the carriage, the hood of the vehicle had been opened, ready for them to appreciate the full interior of the tunnel. The tunnel was in fact just a short distance ahead of them, marked by a wide black mouth and a guard tower on the side. When they were watching the cloud, both plain structures had been overlooked for the wild scenery outside. It was only when they had arrived right in front of the tunnel that the significance of the passage ahead felt real again. Xander had visited the tunnel no less than five times during its long construction process, the nearest one was right after the two halves were joined. Though he had not travelled the entire length of the tunnel, he knew the basics of its sight and everything related to it on paper. Still, he found himself taking a deep breath as they entered.

The tunnel was lit with magical lights on both sides, the brightness reduced gradually to help the animal stay calm. The domed passage was wide enough for three carriages to go in parallel with extra space on both sides, but the designated traffic was one in each direction, so it was how they went. Despite the large company, they had all became hushed. Xander could hear a steady string of whispers from the carriage behind, probably from Takumi or Leo explaining to some of the children about the various features of the tunnel – the ventilation system, the different types of signs and alarms, the occasional hollows on both sides of the tunnel for rest and repairment. His ears picked up the sounds of awed and excited responses, but his mind also began to engage in a different mode. Having been trained for work, it automatically ran through the descriptions of those very features as he saw them, through the list of what was supposed to be present and how they were supposed to look. It was a long while before Xander remembered to stop himself. _Not my job or expertise,_ he mumbled and sagged against Ryoma, seeking his warmth.

“Hah, I was wondering what you were thinking,” Ryoma muttered back, leaning his head over to touch it to Xander's.

Before them, the darkness was beginning to make Xander slightly restless. For fleeting moments, his mind turned to the image of the giant mountain range above them and surrounding them, as if trying to alarm his instinct about the foreign situation. _The first journey always seems long_ , he thought. Unlike Leo and Takumi, he had never gone past the middle point of the tunnel, and his heart still felt the nervousness of seeing his own efforts revealed. Clearing his throat, he said, “I wonder how it will feel for your people, going from the brilliance of Hoshido into this seemingly bottomless darkness, only to emerge into the broader gloom of Nohr.” Even the Nohrian worker town, with its significant population from Hoshido and other territories, still bore an unmistakable somberness.

Ryoma's answer was easy. “Well, I know how I will be. Like the artists of Nestrian, I will marvel at the beauties of darkness that Hoshido could not teach me.”

“...I was going to say that your answer is absurd, but I have realized that the fault was entirely in my question,” Xander conceded his silliness.

Ryoma raised a hand to pat Xander’s hair. “Let me tell you of a hunch I have,” his voice was nonchalant yet also conspiratorial, “Maybe it won't be a bleak sky you will see on the other side today.”

“What do you mean?”

“A little birdie told me that there might be happy people and festive sights welcoming your arrival.”

“Ryoma-”

“If I explain to you any further, I would be betraying a secret. There, that should be enough information.”

“Ryoma, what have you done with the ceremony?”

“Patience, Your Majesty,” Ryoma laughed as he got nudged at the ribs. They were supposed to have a small ceremony to announce the soft opening of the tunnel, during which only light caravans were allowed. In a few months, when the final installments had been completed, it would be opened for full public use. “Rest assured, all I did was survey their interests and provide any assistance they wanted, which was mostly information on the preferences of our group. Anything you see will be from their genuine feelings.”

Xander sighed. “You leave me no choice when you do things like this.” _No choice but to be charmed._ He thought for a beat, then decided to make a comeback. “Good thing I have come prepared with my own surprise.”

“Oh?”

Xander reach a hand inside his coat’s pocket, feeling the small flask. “It’s nothing compared to the scale of your plan, so no hint for now. You will know soon enough.” With that he clammed up his mouth and refused all questions from his tickled beloved.

Half an hour into the tunnel, murmurs began to rise, passing along the line of carriages and triggering a series of lantern signals. Soon the formation of the company started to change; vehicles sped up or slowed down to pass each other. Xander and Ryoma smiled as they heard other passengers voiced their surprise, followed by excitement upon learning about what was happening. The drivers were testing different traffic scenarios. The royal brothers had suggested this plan to all drivers and asked them to participate with full effort but minimal advance discussion.

By the time the tests had been passed in cheers and ovation, the distance marks on the wall told Xander that they were nearing the middle point. He noticed some decorative details appearing, drawn by glowing mosses that grew within carved lines upon the wall. These colorful mosses luminated as they took part in refreshing the air. As they went on, purely ornamental images turned into different sceneries of the mountainous area, then scenes of the daily human life. There was no word of explanation, only illustrations showing group after group of people who had been participating in the making of this tunnel – their diverse backgrounds and professions, their ranges of ages and nationalities, their wide arrays of aspirations. There was a long part dedicated to telling the chronological evolvement of the worker towns. There were also the tiny faces of Xander and his family popping here and there. Everyone failed to miss these, against Xander’s hope, and they excitedly pointed those out to each other for giggles.  

The birth of the project had been woven into a work of art, unfolding before their eyes.

The illustrations ended at a long stretch of blank wall, further depictions seemingly planned to be designed and installed after the tunnel have been opened to the public. Xander grew more anticipative when he noticed that the lights on both sides were getting brighter. The reason soon came before him: the end of the wall, leading to what simply looked like a large opening into darkness.

Xander’s vision opened up again after they passed through the domed opening. At first, his eyes saw the great amount of lights scattering around but his brain failed to comprehend what was going on. What brought him back was the delighted laughter from Ryoma and the arms that suddenly wrapped around him for a tight hug. Xander blinked and looked around, his heart already leaping with the joy spreading from Ryoma and the sounds of gasps and exclamations rising from the carriages that rode behind them. They had emerged into a giant cavern. Right before them was a large space in the shape of a half dome, clearly flattened with human effort and even partially paved outside of the main path, thus forming something of a plaza. Strong torches lined the peripheral, exposing the rock walls surrounding them. The half circle was not perfect after all, as there were a number of rock stacks protruding from the wall near the far edge. These looked somewhat smooth and old as the Earth itself, in oppose to the sharp and uniform cuts on the rock wall near the tunnel. A similar pattern could be seen on the dome ceiling. It was apparent that there had been a natural cave or hollow here before, which the construction had expanded to make the current chamber.

Ahead of them, where the dome was cut in half, its long edge was lined with tall railings, saved only for where the road cut through and continued to a stone bridge.  Even though he was a little far away to make out the details, Xander knew what he could expect there – Hoshidan guards standing at the bridge end in front of them, Nohrian guards standing on the other. The bridge was just short of half a mile long and had even taller railings. At the middle of its length, a couple of Nohrian and Hoshidan flags had been mounted.

Beneath that stone bridge was the darkness of the Bottomless Canyon.

The carriages lined up at one side of the plaza and the passengers climbed down to roam the place. Many of them gathered around Leo and Takumi with questions. For his part, Xander quickly walked toward the bridge, wanting to see it as well as look over the cliff. Just a short distance, and already he could feel the voices and lights shrinking behind. A strange feeling bloomed inside him, and just before reaching the cliff, he stopped and turned around to look over the plaza once more, trying to dig into his memory and measure up just how much human work had been put into this place. When he had last been here, the bridge had been two mere stubs reaching out from cliffs bare of railing or barrier, and the plaza had still been a rocky ground full of construction materials, packed with a darkness that seemed to threaten to swallow up the puny humans and their little tools.

Ryoma arrived by his side. He had been walking a few steps behind Xander, had also stopped and looked back when Xander did, but he did not linger. Instead he turned back to face the cliff and wrapped an arm around Xander’s torso, urging him to turn along. “Look at that, Xander. Look up at the sky.” There was a smile in his voice.

Xander followed, craning his head up to see as Ryoma did. At first, he thought that there was a trick of light. Then he found that there was indeed a sky above them, one of colorful moss patches curling in intricate patterns. His breath was taken away as his eyes adjusted. Before, his view had been blocked by the dome of the cave. Now, at the edge of the cliff, he could see the part of the canyon that extended upward, hanging above the cave on the opposite side like a floating mountain. Decorations had also been put onto this wall, though through which method of moss work Xander could not immediately recall. All he could think of was that the whole work was big, so big and so brilliantly done. On the lower part of the wall, curving in a fan shape somewhat similar to that of the tunnel’s mouth, was another mural about the construction process. It was about the bridge – how they made the caves, built the scaffolds, set the stones, even drawing this very painting. More decorations fanned out above that, first of the sun, moon, stars, then of galactic patterns. The heaven stretched out and up, fading into the distance instead of curving to suggest walls and ceiling. Xander knew that the lack of light was limiting visibility, but he saw enough to be certain that the height of the painting could easily surpass the main hall of Krakenburg. He also realized that the further parts of the mural had been planned with no clear detail so that they would not have to worry about maintenance in the long run.

As he stared more, his eyes caught the silhouettes of tiny human figures on that broad canvas. Noticing the two of them looking up, the workers cheered and waved their hands; some of them were slowly lowering down on their wires. It was their presence that woke Xander up, reminding him that what he saw was neither a dream nor a work of fantastical forces.

“I- I didn’t know that they have started the work on this,” he said faintly. He took a few steps on the bridge and turned to see if there was anything on the rock wall above his head. What he found was the beginning of a sketch, already promising an art work of equal greatness.

Someone cleared their throat nearby. “Your- Your Majesties,” one of the guards spoke up, keeping his head slightly bowed, “The artisans wanted to work on the other side first so that the royal company would be able to see it coming from Hoshido.”

“All of you have done a truly amazing job here,” Ryoma remarked in reply. He chuckled upon seeing that Xander was back to looking at the mural with a dazed expression. Xander let Ryoma guide him further on the bridge. They stood watching in silence, sometimes to the side where the canyon plunged into darkness, sometimes upward at the incredible sight above. A while later, the rise of voices behind their backs told them that more people had found out about the ongoing work by Nestra.

They looked back, and the first things that stood out were the lanky figures of their sons weaving through the crowd, face turning up as if looking for something. Siegbert and Shiro brightened up as soon as they saw their fathers. They set off briskly toward the bridge with big smiles on their faces.

“Thank you!” the boys spoke together when they were finally face to face. As if finding the words lacking, they stepped forward and hugged their fathers, all the while giggling happily.

“You are welcome. What is it for, though?” Xander asked while fixing Siegbert’s collar.  

“For everything! We just thought we should,” Shiro said. “I can’t believe what is going here! Just… Wow, dad. Wow!”

“We are thanking everyone. We are going to thank them next,” Siegbert discreetly pointed a finger at the guards behind. “And we will ask them if we may present them with some questions.”

Ryoma made a pleased sound. “I see. Good luck, and let us know what you find interesting.”

Walking pass their sons, Xander and Ryoma returned to join the rest of their friends and family. “Here you are!” Leo called out to them. “Are you really leaving us to be everyone’s tour guide? There are so many questions! This was your brain child to begin with, brothers!”

“I’m pretty sure it was you two who gave birth to it,” Xander answered, already chuckling at the indignant noises from Takumi.

With just a wisp of guilt, they walked more to come to Camilla, who had somehow assumed the position of directing the preparation of lunch. There they learned that she had made a plan for the next two hours of the tour: lunch with the tunnel’s guards and workers, then a group stroll to the other side of the bridge, carriage following behind, so that everyone would be able to fully absorb the scale of the place.

She offered them two glasses of champagne for celebration, but Ryoma declined. “May we have a small bottle to ourselves instead?” Turning sideway, he pointed at one of the protruding rock stacks on the side of the plaza. “What do you say about climbing up there for a better view, Xander?”

Following Ryoma’s finger, Xander understood at once what was being proposed. Halfway up the rock stack, at around twice their heights, was a hollow big enough for about four men to perch over. The physical aspect of the climb would be no challenge for them, the implication of two kings doing such a thing, however-

Looking back at Ryoma’s big grin and bright eyes, Xander considered for but a moment before shrugging. He picked up a couple of small cups and dropped them onto Ryoma’s palm. “Just take these, you won’t need the wine.”

Both Ryoma and Camilla raised their eyebrows. Feeling a flush rising under the gaze of his sister, Xander turned and marched toward rock himself. What followed him was the suppressed chuckle from Ryoma, the open laughter from Camilla, as well as her voice already calling Hinoka over to witness.

They quickly climbed up and, after settling down, looked straight back at those who had been staring so as to shoo them away. Toward the last stubborn ones (among which stood Ína, naturally), Ryoma literally raised his hand and waved them away, all the while asserting loudly that children were not allowed to imitate their act. From afar, Nyx and Lady Varenil raised their champagne glasses to the kings.

The whole situation brought back an old thought in Xander. “Every time I see how you have taken to standing away from the crowd, I feel a little responsible,” he commented, mostly to himself. No matter how much time they had spent together, a significant part of his memory about Ryoma still lingered on those first impressions in Valla – those of a personable and popular leader, respected as well as adored by his subjects. It had taken him time to reconcile that public image with Ryoma’s equally intense desire for privacy and self-reflection.

“You can feel responsible for having helped me find the best of both worlds,” Ryoma answered easily. He proffered a hand to Xander with an expectant look, so Xander finally reached into his pocket and produced the wine bottle.

“Look at this little one!” Ryoma cried. “I don’t remember seeing bottles this small anymore.”

“Indeed, I reused an old one. You gave this bottle to me in Valla, actually.” The very first time they drank together, the first time he learnt of the length Ryoma would go for even the frailest seed of trust.

Ryoma chuckled and looked at the aged seal. “Was it bottled soon after?”

“You should guess.”

Ryoma looked at Xander curiously, amused by the rare issue of challenge. He took a sniff of the wine before pouring, sniffed it once more in his cup, and stopped for a moment after taking the first sip. “I have drunk this batch in Hoshido before.”

“Hoshido and Nohr,” Xander corrected.

But Ryoma shook his head. “I have never tasted anything like this in Nohr.” Suddenly, he looked at Xander with a thoughtful expression. “Actually, it is just the cool fruity note that I have never found in Nohr. There is something that I have only ever tasted in the wines that you have opened for us to drink Hoshido. I know your favourite wines down to the batch; if you say I have drunk this batch in Nohr, I can make a good guess, but I still don’t believe that they are the same.”

It was Xander’s turn to be surprised. He sipped from his cup and looked up at Ryoma with wide eyes. “I really have no idea what taste you have identified.”  

“Was I wrong then?” Ryoma was genuinely puzzled, eyeing the cup as if it had betrayed him.

That expression made Xander laugh, then the irony of the situation made him laugh even harder. He had started a little guess game, yet somehow he was the one being surprised. _Forget about it._ He wrapped an arm around Ryoma. “No no, if you have noticed it then my tongue is simply blind. Ah, a newly acquired taste… it must be the ground.”

“Hmn?”

“This one and most the wine I that have opened with you in Hoshido actually come from, well, ‘my’ garden in your castle.”

“What?” Ryoma leaned away to look at Xander’s face.

“I have been burying them there then digging them up over the years.”

“What?”

“A couple of bottles for every year there’s a good batch, put down in the occasion of your birthday or our son’s. It’s just a trivia, not worth a secret.”

“Yes, it is. Look at how I feel now!” Ryoma exclaimed pointed at his own face. “Anniversary wines. All these years. How could I miss seeing you putting them down or digging them up!”  

Xander wanted to say that he had always been good at being secretive, but Ryoma already knew that part. “I have accomplices.”

“Oh, now. Now this is a big secret.” Ryoma pressed his lips together for the adult version of Siegbert’s sulky face – one that retained seventy percent of his pitiful face, and Xander couldn’t help but burst out laughing and bury his face into Ryoma’s shoulder.

“Mozu, for she can remember every inch of that garden,” Xander said, his voice muffed, “And… Sakura, for she is the origin of the whole idea.” Ryoma’s hand drifted up his back and gently combed through his hair. “It was around the time when we were all abuzz with dreams for the new kingdoms. Sakura were beginning to read many romance novels at that time; she wrote to me about all of them.” He chuckled again as Ryoma paused for a moment, clearly thinking hard about the image of his very young sister with romance novels. “She loved simple sentimental tokens like these, brought a few bottles to Valla herself to celebrate Corrin and Azura and had me help her bury them.”

“Her spirit was infectious. I bottled this with other new bottles on a whim, buried them in the garden on a whim too.” He raised his head to look into Ryoma’s intense eyes, smiling as memories resurfaced to remind him of the youthful years. “Those days were so exhilarating to me, I got to see the true Hoshido for the first time. Your sky, your spring, your castle, your people, everything made me fall in love. I wasn’t thinking about whether that guest quarter would ever be mine again, nor was I planning to make it a habit.”

“When you said the first time you came to that garden, you were talking about when I was coronated,” Ryoma made the connection.

Xander inclined his head. “This is the last bottle from that time.”

“You have been letting me drink in ignorance. I wasn’t going to know about this if not for a coincident, was I?” Ryoma accused with his words, but his hand raised to gently cup Xander’s cheek.

Xander flushed a little, apologetic about his reticence and pleased by the unspoken understanding at the same time. “It is such an inconsequential thing. You called them anniversary wines, but that is too lofty a description for the intention they are buried with. You have always asked me to put more of myself into the furnishing of my quarter and its garden, while I have always preferred to go along with your ideas. For me, your consideration is enough. If I am to put something any more selfish into that space, this hidden trivia is enough. It is all that I need to make my private reserve in Hoshido, to gain a sense of ownership that makes me feel at home, to be given another tiny proof of the flow of my life there, in addition to the numerous grand things we build together and celebrate together.” He tapped the tiny wine flask. “This is among the first, but I don’t think much of its age. I have not been saving it for the sake of aging; I simply have not found a suitable reason to dig it up, until I realized that any occasion will be as good as this one anyway.

Ryoma huffed out a laugh and nodded. “A whimsical little celebration for the long trip we finally have together, if we are to find an excuse.” His voice remained inquisitive, however. “I love it when you allow your own whims. Still, this time I will remind you of something else about yourself. You may downplay the importance of doing this, but I also know you to be the one that carefully remember every small thing. You saved this flask in the first place, remember?”

The logic made Xander blink in surprise. Chuckling and sipping the fragrant wine, he searched his mind for the answer, “Yes, I remember.” He remembered the person he was all those years ago. “Ah, how should I explain the difference, Ryoma? When I saved this bottle, the signs of joy were few and fragile. Each time I was given a memory so precious, my heart trembled and cowed before its beauty. ‘I would preserve this until the moment I die,’ I always thought. But now… now, after the wonders that I have had the chance to witness by your side, I don’t think of the end in the same way anymore. I can treasure the gifts of life with no weight, no fear; I want to treasure them by paying forward, not by weighing them down with static symbolisms.” He emptied the wine bottle into their cups. “My joy was simply in burying them down. Whenever I dug a bottle up and opened it for us to share, its duty as a memento has been fulfilled, leaving only the sweetness of wine. If I fill this flask with Nohrian wine and later bury it in the garden again, I would love its symbol just as I would have loved it had it stayed buried for another twenty years. Does it make any sense to you?” _My life has been so full, do you see?_

Ryoma simply leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. Xander smiled, “Much work remains, but I would like to believe that I have grown from being hopelessly pessimistic.”

“You have made me very happy by saying that,” Ryoma said in a low voice, his lips pressed once more onto Xander’s cheek, his breaths hot on the shell of Xander’s ear.

A round of happy noises bubbled up from the crowd below them. They looked down to find that the mages had set up a smokeless fire to make hot drinks and soup. Xander watched those sparks of brilliant light and the happy faces around it. The feeling of being dwarfed by nature returned once more to his mind, but this time he only felt proud of what they have created.

Their head leaned against each other. Ryoma spoke again, “Let me tell you one more thing about the passage of time. When I grew up, every day I would stand on the summit of Mount Shirasagi to look down at the kingdom. From that commanding view, I was taught to take pride in the vast and bountiful land below, to nurture the might and ambition of a warrior lord deserving of being its ruler. To me that meant making our wealth more exponential, our virtues more exalted, our glory widely displayed and celebrated. I never expected that the greatest accomplishment of my reign would be beneath the ground, that my spring of joy would be found within the common peace of daily life.”

He took Xander’s free hand within his, pulling their body closer together. It made Xander’s eyes return to briefly look at the blurry darkness, to the patches of light twinkling like constellations above them. In an intuitive habit, he closed the distance and kissed the corner of Ryoma’s mouth. He felt it lift up.

“When I finally saw the world, with the future of Nohr with Hoshido and of you next to me,” Ryoma said, “From that day on, I have not looked back. Xander, I understand you perfectly. Your grand love, your ordinary love, your treasures to me wrapped in small gestures...” The words slowed and lowered, descended into whispers gently poured into Xander’s ear, warming his whole body with each quiet sound.

Touching his cup to Ryoma’s, Xander repeated them, tender as a sigh. “‘To eighteen years, dearest.”

  
  
  
**\- End -**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many many thanks to you for having followed this to its end. Now that this is done, I can finally admit: although I can’t regret writing this series, the truth stands that it was foolish of me to write it. It was too much in ways that I did not anticipate. Still, here they are, with all of the big fat silliness. What truly kept me going was you. Thanks a lot, your words really helped. 
> 
> (Thank you Silma, you spoil me.)
> 
> If you don’t mind extreme slowness, please feel free to send me Ryoumarx prompts. I will be happy.


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